The Nation Newspaper

Tag: candidacy

  • Youths seek law on age, independent candidacy

    A group, YouthNext, yesterday, staged a rally at the Lagos State House of Assembly on the need to domesticate “Not Too Young To Run Bill” passed by the National Assembly and a bill on independent candidacy.

    Members of the group, who dressed in black, carried placards with inscriptions, such as: Youths Next, the Future is now; Youths are able and strong, we deserve to rule; and Screw your goliath, we are ready to take over.

    Others included: The time has come for our voices to be heard; Youths, let’s us unite and discard tribalism and Youths, don’t let yourself be used among others.

    The group’s Coordinator Mrs Moremi Ojudu said the youths should take leadership positions because they “are able, strong, energetic and intellectually-vibrant to lead”.

    She added: “YouthNext is an organisation which centres on engaging youths in politics and the need for them to get involved in politics.

    “We are out to ensure that we have a good representation of youths in government. The Not Too Young To Run Bill has been passed by the National Assembly; we are here to urge members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to make sure that the bill is domesticated here.

    “We are saying ‘no’ to the use of youths as thugs, electioneering machinery. We say ‘no’ to the abuse of youths. We want recognition as people. We can sit down on the same table and rule. We want to rule ourselves. We say ‘no’ to hoodlums. We have the energy, we have the vibrancy. We are tired. By 2019, we will vote for ourselves. Youths should get a voice.

    “We want youths as political aspirants at all levels. We have no money, but we have energy. We don’t want old people again to rule us. We are saying the independent candidature bill must be passed and domesticated in Lagos.”

  • Act on electoral offences tribunal, independent candidacy, Bourdex tasks Senate

    Act on electoral offences tribunal, independent candidacy, Bourdex tasks Senate

    All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Board of Trustees member, Dr. David Onuoha-Bourdex, has expressed surprise that the Senate did not go the whole hog to strengthen the Electoral Act by prescribing stiffer punishment for poll offenders.

    While commending the 8th Senate for the bold and timely review of the 2010 Electoral Act, he noted that apart from legislating fines for electoral officers that may engage in tampering and manipulation of votes, there is need for an electoral offences tribunal.

    Bourdex, who was the APGA Senatorial candidate for Abia North District in the 2015 National Assembly Election, disclosed that experience has shown that whenever such revolutionary legislations, as the inclusion of full electronic voting are made, unscrupulous politicians begin to explore loopholes.

    “Therefore because of imperfection of human insight, there is need to institute electoral offences tribunal to show seriousness over electoral malfeasance. It is the lack of appropriate mechanism to punish offenders that has helped to embolden enemies of real democracy to breach the law,” he stressed.

    Recalling the imperfections of the 2015 election, the telecom expert noted that the use of incidence forms proved a ready gateway for unpopular candidates to undermine popular vote, insisting that until there is institutional checks and enforcement mechanism, good laws will remain impotent in addressing flaws in Nigeria’s electoral system.

    The APGA BoT member urged the National Assembly to use the opportunity of constitutional reforms to ensure that all loopholes for toying with the civic decisions of the citizens were blocked.

    He suggested that school enrolment and number of taxpayers should be applied as necessary controls to check the number of registered voters, adding that the allegation of under-aged voting in certain polling units was not entirely frivolous.

    His words: “It beats every sane imagination that certain areas with high voting population do not return commensurate tax returns and school enrolment figures. This new thinking about our electoral system should incorporate school enrollment and internal revenue generation to shadow voting numbers.

    “Also as electoral officials are punished, efforts should be made to equally punish their collaborators, the parties and candidates. All in all, citizen vigilance remains the greatest check against electoral malfeasance. Therefore, the electoral body should increase voter enlightenment and education on what constitute electoral offences.”

    Bourdex renewed his call that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be the respondent on election petitions, pointing out that the cost of losing election petitions should also ginger INEC to ensure the credibility of elections it conducts.

    To ensure full democratization of the electoral process, Onuoha-Bourdex implored the National Assembly to make room for independent candidacy, stressing that that was a sure way to limit the extortionist propensity of some party leaders, who use the platform for trading purposes.

    “With independent candidacy, communities can elect a preferred candidate even when the political parties do not consider him or her; it would also offer opportunity to responsible people who detest the dirty side of partisan politics, to participate in politics and serve the people,” he stated

  • Enugu 2015: Ripples over consensus candidacy

    The endorsement of House of Representatives member, Hon.Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for next year’s election  has raised some dust.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Maritime Matters is  Enugu North Senatorial District. The slot has been zone to the zone by stakeholders.

    Despite the endorsement, the PDP will still hold primaries for those interested in the race.

    Prior to Ugwuanyi’s endorsement,  14 aspirants were jostling for the number one position. Each of them saw himself as the potential successor to Governor Sullivan  Chime.

    In 1999 many  vied for the position. But, Dr Chimaraoke Nnamani, who emerged as the flag bearer,  governed the state  for eight years. Other contestants, after grumbling for some time, accepted their fate.

    Also, in 2007, Chief Okey Itanyi, Chief Okey Ezea, Chief Ugochukwu Agballa, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu and Dr Alex Obiechina were in the race.  However Chime was re-elected.

    When the PDP zoned the slot to  Nsukka Zone, many indigenes unfolded their ambitions. To avoid  a violent struggle for power, Enugu PDP decided to emulate its national leadership, which after deep reflection, decided to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan as the consensus presidential candidate.

    Chime has refused to anoint any aspirant as his successor. He told reporters that stakeholders will do the job. After series of brainstorming, the people decided that consensus would reduce acrimony and prevent post-primary crises. There was no dissenting voice when Ugwuanyi was nominated as the consensus candidate. However, shortly after the endorsement, aggrived aspirants cried foul, alleging that the endorsement was pre-determined. They accused the governor of imposing the aspirant on the party.

    In Enugu, Ugwuanyi is a household name. He has organised empowerment programmes for stakeholders. Many youths see him as their idol. He is not a controversial politician. But, many did not know that he would vie for the slot.

    The ovation that greeted his endorsement underscored his popularity and acceptability. But, what is striking is that party leaders from East and West districts have congratulated their counteroparts in the North District over his endorsement.

    A politician, Tom Amoke, described Ugwuanyi, as an unassuming, humble and grassroots actor held in esteem by constituents. He said: “Although he has risen to fame, he has not forgotten his rural background. As a legislator, he sees himself as a commoner. He is in touch with the grassroots.”

    When he was endorsed, he was not carried away by the euphoria. He reflected on the exercise that threw him up, thanking the stakeholders for the honour. But, he also called for unity and understanding, saying that next year’s election is a joint enterprise requiring the involvement of other aspirants.

    To assuage the feelings of co-contestants, he refused to gloat over his emergence. The legislator embarked on a soothing and conciliatory mission. He visited other aspirants, urging them to promote the larger, collective interest of the party.

    His reconciliatory moves seem to have paid off. It doused the tension between the “Abuja politicians” and “Enugu politicians.”  The camp of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was said to have expressed satisfaction with Ugwuanyi’s endorsement. Since he has not been a controversial politician, it was easy for him to become a rallying point.

    According to party chieftains, the endorsement has doused the tension usually trigggered by preparations for primaries. Besides, it has affirmed the zoning principle. “There is now a rotational arrangement. This may shape the clamour for power shift when the tenure of the next governor expires,” said Amoke.

    A stakeholder, Emeka Attamah, said, the next assignment is to team up with the PDP, Chime and Ugwuanyi so that the PDP can retain the state.

    He added: “ They should accept Hon. Ugwuanyi’s olive branch and resolve to make his administration succeed when he becomes the governor, instead of distracting his attention by unnecessary bickering and other anti-party activities. The achievements of Governor Chime must be preserved and built upon by a competent successor.

    “The people of Enugu North Senatorial Zone are grateful to the governor for his insistence on equity, fairness and justice. He has recognised the tripodal composition of the state.”

  • Jonathan’s candidacy’ll be good for APC, says senator

    Senator Ajayi Borrofice (Ondo Northern Senatorial District), at the weekend, said the 2015 presidential election will be a walkover for the All Progressives Congress (APC), if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) picks President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate.

    He said it is the APC’s prayer that Jonathan emerges the PDP’s flagbearer.

    Borrofice spoke with reporters at his Oka-Akoko home town in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State during an empowerment programme for his constituents.

    At the event, which was attended by APC state executives, led by Chief Isaac Kekemeke, 50 tricycles, 45 power generating sets, 45 grinding machines, 15 sewing machines, 12 wheel chairs and 20 vehicles were distributed to over 300 people.

    Borrofice said: “We are praying that he declares his ambition. If he contests and emerges the PDP candidate, it will be easy for the APC to defeat him. His administration has failed and Nigerians are tired of it. “People are being killed daily and the President cannot find a solution to it. The unemployment rate is high and we are yet to forget what happened during the last immigration aptitude test, where scores of unemployed youths died.

    “The young and the old are dying because of poor health care services and corruption has been legalised. Those who kick against the President’s ruling style are seen as the enemy of the nation. These are reasons why it would be an easy ride for the APC in 2015, if Jonathan is picked as the PDP’s candidate. Nigerians are watching with keen interest and they believe the best way to change bad leadership is through their votes in 2015.”

    The senator advised the President to do everything possible to secure the release of the abducted Chibok school girls, saying their lives should not be toyed with.

    He urged his people to give him a second term in the Senate, pledging to continue to empower them.

     

  • Fayose’s candidacy

    Fayose’s candidacy

    •A new low in Nigeria’s amoral politics

    Whoever a party chooses for an election should strictly be the business of that party. If the market decides on the quality or otherwise of a good or commodity, the voter should decide on the suitability or otherwise of a candidate. He or she is rewarded or punished with votes.

    Even then, there are extraordinary cases that go beyond strict party business, just as damaged or toxic goods do not fall under the strict purview of selling and buying, but becomes the business of the state, to guarantee its pre-transaction wholesomeness.

    Such is the case with Peter Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, who exited government in a blaze of impeachment on October 16, 2006, with 22 out of the 24-member Ekiti State House of Assembly adjudging him guilty of the alleged embezzlement of state funds, in the Ekiti Poultry Project of his government. But now, Mr. Fayose is back as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, for the June 21 Ekiti governorship election.

    Much has been alleged about the March 22 PDP primary that delivered Mr. Fayose the party’s ticket. Many of his opponents claim the process was skewed “from Abuja”; and that it should be cancelled. That claim is neither here nor there.

    On one hand, Nigerian politicians are such notorious bad losers that, were Mr. Fayose to be in the losing camp, he probably would have embarked on similar exercise to discredit the process. On the other hand, you can seldom vouch for the integrity of any electoral process, as the stock-in-trade is to skew it that, you always feel maybe the complainants do have a point. But that is not the focus of this editorial.

    The focus is rather the very nadir Mr. Fayose’s candidacy has plunged Nigerian politics, as soulless, amoral or even proudly immoral. But this is with a huge sense of responsibility and without prejudice to Mr. Fayose, if he is cleared of all the allegations hanging on his neck.

    After his ouster as governor, Mr. Fayose was docked for alleged sleaze and alleged murder. These cases are still in court; and it is trite to repeat that every suspect is presumed innocent until he is proved guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    Still, in most Western democracies, anyone with such a hanging stain would automatically disqualify himself, until at least he clears his name. But should he display the wilful folly to want to run for public office, when by public perception — no matter how legalistically inconclusive — he is judged not fit and proper, public outrage would shellac him at the polls. Even in African traditional society, such outrage was not unusual, as the society moved fast to sanction anyone perceived to have run afoul of mores and values.

    The big question then is: though Mr. Fayose remains innocent until he is convicted, is there any morality in political recruitment? And if law is most times nothing but codified morality, does his PDP party not have any iota of morality in it, thrusting somebody with a highly compromised image to run for the governor of Ekiti, the highest political position in that state? If the court finds the candidate guilty, what happens to his moral authority as governor, if he wins the election?

    Mr. Fayose’s emergence, even if he won the primary fair and square, is bad commentary on the morality of Nigeria’s public space. It is sheer heart of darkness; for with the allegations hanging on his neck, his gubernatorial tenure is disaster waiting to happen.

    If the Ekiti electorate is rational — and there is nothing to suggest it is not — it should show no hesitation with bombing the candidate with nay-votes. But that is beside the point. The point is that no sane system should have presented the electorate with such a bad choice.