The Nation Newspaper

Tag: campaigning

  • Campaigning before campaign

    These politicians have started again. They have started before they should start. Starting ahead of time is not allowed in this case, which makes it illegal. It is not enough to point out the illegality, as the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji, did in Ekiti State on September 20 when he addressed reporters in his office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Raji spoke to reporters after a stakeholders’ meeting with “leaders of political parties under the auspices of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).” A report said: “Raji said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered by law to prosecute politicians who engaged in any form of “early campaign” before the time allowed by law.”

    The report also said Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other figures who are members of other parties had started activities that amounted to campaigning prematurely in connection with next year’s governorship election in the state.

    According to the report, “Fayose has erected billboards bearing his pictures and those of his deputy in which he referred to Olusola as “Your Next Governor.” Governorship aspirants of other parties also mounted billboards and banners in front of their campaign offices, on the major roads and boundaries of Ekiti with other neighbouring states.”

    In response, Raji was quoted as saying: “All these acts are not in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Activities that look like campaign are against the Constitution and people should desist from them. Media houses should scrutinise jingles and adverts that may implicate them. Any offender convicted is liable to a maximum fine of N500, 000 and a jail term at the discretion of the judge. The law also permits INEC to remove such billboards.”

    So, what is Raji waiting for? A law not enforced is a law not in force. Most likely, the law violators are aware of the law and conscious of its violation. The enforcement authorities should not speak and act in a way that suggests reluctance to enforce the law in the face of clear contravention. All talk and no action can’t be effective in this case.

    These politicians are behaving lawlessly, which is ironic, considering that they are seeking a position expected to uphold the law. Premature campaigning shows a lawless side of the characters involved and suggests desperation. It is dishonourable and deplorable.

  • Ekiti APC bars exco from campaigning

    Ekiti APC bars exco from campaigning

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has barred its executive council members at ward, local government, senatorial and state levels from campaigning for any aspirant.

    The state Acting Chairman, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, handed down the warning at the weekend when a governorship aspirant, Bamidele Faparusi, visited the party secretariat to donate bags of rice and other largesse for distribution to members.

    Faparusi advised the APC leadership to zone the governorship slot to Ekiti South senatorial district, which had not produced the governor since the state was created 20 years ago.

    Mrs. Olaleye said the party executives must maintain neutrality, warning that anyone caught hobnobbing with any aspirant would be sanctioned.

    This, she said, was to ensure that the executives command the aspirants’ respect.

    She explained that all aspirants are “children” of the party.

    Mrs. Olaleye said: “We are ready to accommodate everybody; we don’t discriminate because all of you belong to us.

    “We have come out with a rule that no member of the exco should be seen moving around with any aspirant and anyone who flouts this will be disciplined.”

  • Ize-Iyamu ‘s campaigning for me, says Iduoriyekemwen

    The governorship candidate of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, says he is happy that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is indirectly campaigning for him as the authentic candidate for the September 10 election in Edo State.

    Iduoriyekemwen, who disclosed that he would be flagging off his campaign this week, said the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) committed a serious blunder when it recognised Ize-Iyamu as the party’s flag bearer.

    He added: “But, I am happy they have no choice now than to give me what belongs to me, after the Federal High Court ruling last week which recognised Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the PDP.

    “Ize-Iyamu has been campaigning for me; that is good after all we are all PDP members. So, I am urging all Edo people to go out on September 10 to vote for the PDP, with me as the candidate of the party so recognised by law. It is clear the Ali Modu Sheriff leadership of the party is the one recognised by law. There is no place in the PDP constitution for a caretaker committee.

    “The last court ruling made it clear that anything arising from the Port Harcourt convention or the Makarfi committee is a nullity. It is illegal, null and void. On the strength of that, I am the candidate who emerged from the recognised primary of the party conducted by Ali Modu Sheriff.

    “I urge Edo people to remain resolute in their support for me as we continue to work. I urge all Edo people not to be deterred because we have only one candidate for the PDP in Edo State and that candidate is Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

    “We will run a government that is all-inclusive. We are going to power the society through women. We urge our PDP members to continue to campaign ahead the election. We are going to flag off next week and you will witness the mother of all rallies in this state.”

  • ‘Why I’m campaigning for peaceful elections ’

    ‘Why I’m campaigning for peaceful elections ’

    How do you combine  architecture with nation building?

    As a diplomat’s kid I was born in Washington D.C., in the United States of America.  However, I only have one passport  a Nigerian passport and that’s by choice! I believe my nation Nigeria will be GREAT and will be THE 8TH WONDER of the world – a WONDER TO BEHOLD!

    I went to Kent Academy, an American missionary primary school in Miango town, Plateau State. After which I continued my education at Federal Government Girls College Oyo, Oyo State. There after I studied Architecture at the University Of Lagos, Lagos State. I graduated in 1988. I have three degrees to my credit  two of which are higher degrees.

    For as far back as I can remember I have always loved Nigeria. Nigeria has held a special place in my heart. My parents told me that when they were preparing the family to come back to Nigeria from the U.S that I was so excited about coming home and they didn’t quite understand it then. I was just three years of age at the time. I have always had a GREAT DESIRE for a better Nigeria and a GREAT NEW NIGERIA! Over ten years ago I got tired of complaining about Nigeria and I decided to do something about it!

    I am a full-time novel nation builder, working to create a generational change in Nigeria through a paradigm shift in the minds of our youth.Just like an architect creates in his mind and designs buildings likewise a leadership architect creates and designs new mindsets. He creates a new way of thinking. The foundation of a building whether weak or strong is what makes the building to collapse or stand. Similarly the foundation for building a nation is the mind. It all starts in the mind and the way the citizens think about themselves and their nation. The citizens’ mindset will invariably determine whether a nation collapses or stands strong and become great.

    You have the word ‘PEACE’ inscribed in your hair;  is that about the peace advocacy for the elections?

    Yes, it is about the peace advocacy.  I am an architect, a leadership architect, creative leader, a nation builder, a patriot and I’m the author of the 2-in-1 book with titles ‘The 8th Wonder of the World, Made in Nigeria and the 8th Wonder of the World made in Naija’. I have many names, I’m known as the eighth wonder.

    The advocacy started when we did the ‘Peace motivational message songs’. But recently, we have done some other stuff like ‘the Walk for Peace’ organised by Mr Femi Dagunro. We walked from Ogudu roundabout to Ojota and back. We used that opportunity to engage the citizens of Nigeria, speaking in native languages to them, saying that we must not fight as peace must become the ultimate winner in the 2015 elections.

    2015 elections will come and go but what would be left of the electorate after March? Olaboludele Simoyan, an architect speaks on voting for peace in Nigeria in an interview with Blessing Olisa.

    You mentioned Mr Femi Dagunro, what part does he play in the advocacy for peace?

    He is another peace advocate who I recently met. We collaborated and I suggested this peace walk. He does the Ogudu Youth Empowerment for the youths there. He grew up in Ogudu area and that’s his way of giving back to the community in Ogudu.

    What is your motivation for the peaceful elections campaign?

    My motivation for the vote for peace campaign in Nigeria stems from three basic things. One, 21 years ago, the Rwandan Genocide took place, and if you look at the things that we are saying, they are the kind of things that were being said just before the genocide took place. They were calling themselves cockroaches, and that has been replicated in Nigeria. People were doing things with impunity then  and they are also doing that now; politicians are throwing inciting words at each other. And I’m saying we have to stop this movement in the direction of the genocide. They went through what we are seemingly experiencing now and it’s a lesson that we don’t have to go through what they went through. We must learn from their own experience.

    Two, my friend’s daughter served in Bauchi in 2011 and she was a victim of post election violence; they hacked her with a machete on the head and arm, and she lost 10 fellow youth corps members that they hacked to death. When her mother told me the story I said I would do something about it for all it’s worth. I didn’t have a clear idea on what I would do, but as this year’s elections came closer, seeing and hearing the inciting words of these politicians on themselves, I said I must do something and that’s how I started the Peace Advocacy in collaboration with Mr Femi Dagunro, a fellow peace advocate.

    What has the Peace Advocacy movement done so far?

    Well, the hairstyle is one thing. When I walk around Lagos and people stop and ask me about my hairstyle, I use that to engage them and say “we shouldn’t fight, this election must be peaceful, vote for who you want to vote for but if the person does not enter, vote in someone else but we must not fight.” I engage them in whatever language I can with the peace hairstyle.

    Also, Mr Dagunro designed T-shirts that we wore for the walk, I wear it to church. We’ve had a peace talk even at the Ogudu Youth Empowerment Centre before the walk.

    How can people become a part of this vote for peace movement in Nigeria?

    You could use the hastag #vote4peaceinnigeria campaign. You can also go and listen to the peace motivational songs on youtube, there’s one ‘I declare peace in Nigeria’, ‘I decree peace in Nigeria’, ‘It’s a new dawn’ and ‘Peace: You’re a winner’. You can also organise peace walks in your area, because what I am trying to encourage is citizen participation in everything we do in Nigeria.

    I’ll cite a typical example of something that happened recently in Nigeria: Dr Adadevoh, whom I refer to as Citizen Adadevoh because she exercised leadership at the citizen level, which enabled Governor Fashola and President Jonathan to do what they needed to do at the state and federal level. If she hadn’t done what she needed to do at the citizen level, it would have been difficult to do what was needed at the state and federal levels. I’m preaching citizen participation, do a 30-minute walk on a major road in your area, engage the citizens, make T-shirts, make stickers, have wristbands and wear those things on a regular basis so that there is a constant discussion on peace. We’re sending out a subtle yet strong message to our politicians, saying we want peace to be the ultimate winner in the 2015 elections. Nothing less, nothing more. After all said and done, that’s the message we want to send out to anyone involved in the coming elections.

    Did you write any of the peace advocacy songs on youtube?

    Yes, I wrote the songs but I got a professional singer to sing them. I sang a while back in something I did before, but I was advised to get a professional singer. And I got a professional singer that did a better job. I still did the motivational speaking in the song though. There’s music and a message.

    What is the central theme of this advocacy?

    The central theme is ‘Vote for Peace in Nigeria’.

    I was walking along Onipanu when two elderly women stopped me and asked about my hairstyle, I explained to them. They said all women should have hairstyles like this that show we are sending a message to our politicians, that we must stress the fact that women want peace. Because when things go wrong, women and children suffer the consequences just like in Rwanda. I totally agree with them because that’s the concept of the hairstyle. But it doesn’t stop there, whatever you can wear throughout this election period that emphasises peace like bracelets, T-shirts, stickers that can be given to people; we should just make sure that we saturate the atmosphere with a message of peace. So that when politicians hear, they know that Nigerians want peace. Negativity produces negativity and positivity produces positivity, a lot of inciting words have been used by our politicians and we need to counter those inciting words with a message of peace. That’s what ‘Vote for Peace in Nigeria’ is all about.

    Video: http://youtu.be/cLm53Nz4yrg