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Tag: candidates

  • 8,285 candidates register for CB-WASSCE

    8,285 candidates register for CB-WASSCE

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said 8,285 candidates from across the federation have registered for the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for private candidates, 2024 – First Series.

    The examination is scheduled to start tomorrow and end on Saturday, February 17.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Lagos, WAEC’s Head of National Office (HNO), Dr. Amos Dangut, said the initial resistance to the initiative only fuelled the council’s resolve to remain focused in its determination to conduct the CB-WASSCE.

    Dangut, who assured candidates of a hitch-free exercise, said CBT centres where the examination would hold across the nation had been inspected with checklists and equipped with server.

    The HNO said trial tests were conducted and a free mock examination was also conducted for registered candidates on January 23 and 24th to know those having any challenges.

    Read Also: Tinubu approves $700m roads to boost business activities at Lekki Port

    He said the council was encouraged by the acceptance of the innovation, as evidenced in the number of entries so far received. 

    “As of today, Monday, January 29, 2024, a total of 8,285 candidates from across the federation have registered for the examination. Out of this number, 3,949 are male, representing 47.66 per cent, while 4,336 are female, representing 52.3 per cent of the total candidature. Candidates would be examined in 19 subjects, made up of 26 papers,” Dangut said.

    The HNO explained that the examination would be delivered in hybrid mode with the Objective or Multiple Choice questions rendered on-screen on which candidates are required to give their responses.

    He said though the Essay and Practical questions would be on-screen, the candidates would give their responses using the answer booklets provided.

    Dangut also said results of the examination would be released 45 days after the conduct of the last paper, while duly awarded certificates would be available on request via certrequest.waec.org.ng.

  • ‘Candidates’ challenge INEC’s failure to enforce APC decision

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed  tomorrow and Friday hear suits by two All Progressives Congress (APC) members challenging failure of the Independent National Electoral Com-mission (INEC) to enforce the party’s recognition of their candidacies for the March 9 House of Assembly polls.

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa will tomorrow hear the suit filed by Famakinwa Adedayo Olufemi, representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency 1.

    The other suit, filed by Akeem Bello representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency II, will be heard by Justice A. O. Faji on Friday.

    The first to third defendants in Olufemi’s suit are: INEC, Olumoh Sa’adu Lukman and the APC, while INEC, Wale Rauf and the APC are the first to third defendants in Bello’s suit.

    The applicants averred that the APC leadership forwarded their names to INEC as the authentic candidates of the party, but the umpire ignored the party’s decision, contrary to case law.

    Both suits were brought by originating summons and backed by affidavits both dated February 7, sworn to by both applicants.

    Olufemi averred that he participated in the party’s primary elections for the House of Assembly ticket alongside the second defendant.

    He said: “I won the primary election but the result was manipulated in favour of the second defendant.

    “…based on the manipulated result, the name of the second defendant was wrongly forwarded to the first defendant.”

    On his part, Bello said the “second defendant contested the primaries…with me and others and lost the primary election to me.

    “Following my victory…my name was published by the third defendant as the candidate of the third defendant in respect of Amuwo Odofin Constituency II.”

    Both applicants said by two November 30 letters, the second defendants in both suits withdrew their candidacies, following which the APC leadership, by two November 30 letters, wrote INEC asking it to substitute the names of the withdrawn candidates with Olufemi and Bello’s.

    They accused INEC of ignoring the party’s requests, which they averred that it had no lawful authority to do.

    They added that following INEC’s refusal to give effect to the APC leadership’s letter, the third defendant by a further letter dated third December, 2018…signed by Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, reaffirmed Olufemi’s name and choice as the APC’s “authentic candidate in respect of Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency 1” and Bello’s name and choice as the APC’s “authentic candidate in respect of Amuwo Odofin Constituency II.”

    Both applicants asked the courts for several reliefs, including mandatory injunctions “directing INEC to accept and treat” Olufemi and Bello as the lawful candidates in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Cons-tituency 1 and Amuwo Odofin Constituency II.

    They are also seeking injunctions restraining the second defendants in both suits – Wale Rauf and Olumoh Sa’adu Lukman – from parading them-selves as the APC candidates for both constituencies, among other reliefs.

     

     

     

  • Where are the candidates?

    One week after the official kick-off of campaigning for the 2019 presidential election, there is little action yet by most contenders known to have signified interest in the race. For an activity that the law provides a 90-day window, could it be they are yet warming up to hit the tracks?

    The impending poll is potentiated with a multiplicity of options, and of all presidential contests in Nigeria’s political history, there’s been none with a field so crowded. But whether the huge number holds out genuine and actionable alternatives for voters remains to be seen.

    Pending the publication of a definitive list of candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made known that a throng of political parties filed the particulars of flagbearers running on their respective platform. Besides President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there are contenders like Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); Kingsley Moghalu, Young Progressive Party (YPP); Obiageli Ezekwesili, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN); Fela Durotoye, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN); Omoyele Sowore, African Action Congress (AAC); Tope Fasua, Abundance Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP); Eunice Atuejide, National Interest Party (NIP); Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, Kowa Party (KP); Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, Alliance for People’s Trust (APT) and Chris Okotie, Fresh Democratic Party (FDP).

    Others include Chike Ukaegbu, Advanced Allied Party (AAP); Hamza Al-Mustapha, People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN); Alistair Soyode, Yes Electorates Solidarity (YES); Obadiah Mailafia, African Democratic Congress (ADC); Ahmed Buhari, Sustainable National Party (SNP); Usman Ibrahim Alhaji, National Rescue Movement (NRM); Eniola Ojajuni, Alliance for Democracy (AD); Sunday Chukwu-Eguzolugo, Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP); Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) and Nicolas Felix, Peoples Coalition Party (PCP). Also listed are Habu Aminchi, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM); Yabagi Sani, Action Democratic Party (ADP); Moses Shipi, All Blending Party (ABP); Peter Nwangwu, We the People of Nigeria (WTPN); John Ogbor, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Edozie Madu, Independent Democrats (ID); Yahaya Ndu, African Renaissance Party (ARP); Davidson Akhimien, Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN); Ike Keke, New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP); Hamisu Santuraki, Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN); Habib Gajo, Young Democratic Party (YDP) and Williams Awosola, Democratic People’s Congress (DPC).

    Former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko was thrown up as presidential candidate by Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), but he has since set aside that mandate and scaled down his ambition to seeking a senatorial seat. Unless there are other withdrawals before the statutory deadline, all parties fielding candidates will have to be listed on the ballot for the February 16th poll – with attendant implications like cumbersome logistics for INEC, as in the bogus size of ballot paper that will be necessitated, and a confusing cluster of party options voters will confront even though there may be few genuine alternatives available.

    So far, only a handful among the candidates has come up with an agenda for power if entrusted with it. Buhari of the APC and Atiku of the PDP swiftly hit out with blueprints of their respective manifesto, and it is widely assumed that the contest is a two-way race. But ACPN’s Ezekwesili and YPP’s Moghalu are mounting a stiff challenge against the duopoly and have been detailing alternative policy propositions. Other than these, little else has been heard in terms of clear-cut policy proposals from the army of candidates.

    Economy is at the heart of the current power narrative in this country, and so we must interrogate the financials underlying to-do lists of the candidates. ADP’s Yabagi Sani was last week reported promising a minimum wage of N100,000 to workers if elected president; but without a plausible financial framework, such promise simply insults the intelligence of the electorate. Proposals by more prominent candidates for the poll are obviously better reasoned; they, however, as well need subjection to scrutiny if only to help with thinking through.

    President Buhari, who is seeking re-election on a ticket with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, outlined plans to upscale the administration’s employment generation drive, upgrade infrastructure and power supply, deepen social welfare with institutional structures like People’s Moni Bank and the Entrepreneur Bank, redouble its security and anti-corruption efforts, and boost the education as well as health sectors among other things. With the benefit of the last three and a half years, the administration perhaps has some integrity advantage.

    But with these policy aspirations added to the pending carrot of an increase of the minimum wage to N30,000, one thing the policy highlights did not seem to address is how the financials add up. The Nigerian economy presently haemorrhages heavily from ‘under-recovery cost’ on local fuel consumption, which many would rather call subsidy on refined imports. This runs into tens of billions of naira yearly. Recent data from the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) showed that the volume of import indeed rose by 34 percent over the last year, implying higher obligations in subsidy cost. With the notoriously bad politics of raising the pumphead price of petrol, the administration is obviously cold on that option – especially after its 49 percent hike in 2015 that has turned out not eliminating the subsidy element in pricing template. But what then will it do to plug the huge drainpipe and save up for its proposed programmes?

    Proposals by PDP’s Atiku Abubakar are more ambitious, and by that token raise a greater credibility challenge. The candidate promises, for instance, to ramp up economic growth, targeting a gross domestic product of $900billion by 2025 – which is about double the current level – and to lift “at least 50 million people out of extreme poverty” and as well create 3million jobs yearly. Among others, he also proposes partial privatisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and selling off all four national refineries. Before the official start-off of the campaign, he had promised to revert the pumphead price of petrol to below N100. Atiku has not disclosed whom he will sell the refineries to, and with alleged records of the privatisation programme of the former Olusegun Obasanjo administration that he anchored as Vice President, he will need to do much assuring of the public the proposed sell-off won’t indeed be personal acquisition of public assets by indirection. Besides, he has not shown how refinery sell-off and part-privatisation of NNPC will translate to lower fuel price. Public experience with past deregulation of diesel and kerosene prices, and the more recent privatisation of the country’s electricity assets does not guarantee such outcome.

    Both Ezekwesili and Moghalu were bold in declaring they would throw out oil subsidy and submit the sector to the free market, so to redirect funds involved to more socially impactful programmes. ACPN’s Ezekwesili, at one of her press conferences, reveried on what N1.3trillion allegedly being spent on subsidy yearly now could do in helping her lift 80million Nigerians out of poverty. And for his part, YPP’s Moghalu has tagged the N18,000 currently obtained as minimum wage “poverty wage.” He proposes to fund a higher and sustainable wage level by eliminating oil subsidy and boosting tax revenue, among other measures.

    One thing both candidates have not seemed to address is the inflationary ripples of high fuel prices that would follow the elimination of subsidy, and how they would handle the social upheaval that almost invariably attends such economic trend as was witnessed in France only last week.

    Of course, it is morning yet on campaign day (apology to the late Chinua Achebe) and we may perhaps get clarifications on some of these posers in due course.

     

    • Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.

  • Debate: Candidates unfold their agenda

    Four governorship candidates honoured the debate organised by Channels Television yesterday. At the event, they gave insights on what they will do if elected as governor.

    They are the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) Fatai Akinbade and the African Democratic Party (ADP) Moshood Adeoti.

    Oyetola said he would ensure continuity of the laudable programme executed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, adding that payment for full salaries to workers would no longer be an issue.

    He said any policy that requires a review, as being canvassed by the public, would be given attention and that there was no rigid position about government policy.

    The APC candidate said the 35 per cent women affirmation, health, education, infrastructure and other basic needs of the people would be given priority attention.

    Oyetola added that UNESCO acknowledged that Osun was on the right path in its education curriculum, stressing that the state would continue to impact on the people through better educational policies.

    Omisore said it was unfortunate that the issue of the killer of former Minister of Justice, the late Bola Ige had been politicised and that the question about the killer of the late Ige only comes up every four years, during election periods.

    He said the Aregbesola administration has been reckless in resource management, noting that he would plug the loopholes to improve the state’s financial position.

    The SDP candidate also said he was against the mega school system, stressing it was too costly, given the lean resources of the state.

    Adeoti said he would add value to whatever he met on ground, stressing that education, health and agriculture would take priority when elected as the governor.

    He said he would address the issue of poor salaries of teachers, as well as that of delay in payment of salaries.

    Akinbade said he would scrap the present school system which does not allow for individual schools to determine what they would wear as uniform.

  • Party primaries and candidate selection

    Undoubtedly political parties in all regions and climes of the world are important components of liberal democracy and electoral processes. Political parties’ produce the candidates, set the parameters of issues and agenda within which elections are to be ‘fought’ and are further expected to perform these duties from one election to another.

    The growth of modern democratic practice revolves around political parties, which stand out as organized platforms for the articulation of aspirations and canvassing for electoral votes. While the idea of independent candidacy is practiced in some democracies, it remains an exception to the rule of political organization or the machinery through which government is formed and power is acquired.

    Under the 1999 constitution (as amended), only duly registered political parties licensed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), can take part and present candidates for election into all the offices in the federation. In other words, any Nigerian seeking elective office must be a card-carrying member of such a party. Put differently, political parties are sine qua non in Nigeria’s nascent party politics. Expectedly, they are supposed to play a critical role in promoting democratic thinking and democratizing political systems. They are instruments linking the rulers to the ruled. Parties are thus basic organizational means by which people compete in elections for the rights to formulate and implement their policy objectives through the political systems. Indeed, according to leading scholars of party politics, democracy is a function of competing and conflicting parties and there is a structural link between mass mobilizing parties and political participation as it is the case in Europe and America.

    The snag, however, is that there is a missing link in the Nigerian politics. What is more, the Nigerian political parties do not perform the aforementioned functions in a democratic manner. Virtually all existing political parties are not well organized for them to be catalyst for democratic sustenance and consolidation. They also do not compete over the issues they will purse if elected into public office. Parties have failed to offer policy alternatives as expected of them. Elections are hardly fought on issues. It is not surprising that result of elections does not mostly reflect what people prefer at that particular time in question. This is going by the spontaneous reactions to most contested results either in law courts of street fights. Thus, political parties do fail to have elected officials bound by their campaign pledges. Hence, a wide gap between what is promised and what is delivered.

    The aforementioned scenario is not unconnected with the faulty primaries or what is generally known as shadow elections. When wrong candidates are selected for whatever reason(s) they can never deliver when they attain public office. Three menaces are usually associated with party primaries. First, candidates are usually imposed by their god-fathers who usually discountenance with democratic ethos and canons for their whims and caprices. The second associated menace is that of vote buying. In many instances, party primaries become great ‘bazaar’ with aspirants influencing even electoral officers with huge sums of money to sway victory in their favour. Where a candidate expended large sums of money bribing party members and stakeholders, it makes sense to reasonably surmise that a candidate that actually purchased party ticket may not eventually do the biddings of the party.  The debilitating influence of money in body politic is so profound in contemporary Nigeria that the system is beleaguered for now. Thirdly, electoral violence where electorates are forced using the instrumentality of brute force and violence to go for a choice that may negate their will; the three highlighted facts combined together seem to have enormously corrupted the polity.

    In an attempt to perhaps mitigate the effect of the highlighted electoral evils, the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC), is gradually opting for direct rather than indirect primaries. The last primary election in Osun State was experimentation with direct primary because of the deadly fear of vote buying which may eventually give victory to the highest bidder. Thus, it is important to consider the pros and cons of both choices – direct and indirect primaries – vis-à-vis candidate selections.

    Going by the provisions of the APC constitution, Article 20(iii) stipulated that nomination of candidates for virtually all positions shall be through direct or indirect primary election to be conducted at the appropriate level and designated centres. From the look of things, the party seems to be in love with direct primary which was adopted recently in Osun State but while it worked in case of Osun governorship shadow election, it may be difficult in some other places.

    The beauty of indirect election is that delegates who must have been elected by party members in congresses are eligible to participate in candidate selection for public elections. Delegates are minimal in number in comparison with the total number of party members. The assumption is that delegates are expected to know better in terms of making reasonable choices for the party which must have necessitated their elections ab initio. But alas! It is indeed a calamity sort-of that the so-called delegates are now being put into abeyance simply because they could compromise themselves.

    Meanwhile, the direct primary modality which the party constitution provided for too may not be pragmatic in all cases after all. To start-with, it may reduce the influence of money in the sense that it may be practically impossible to induce all voters with money at the polling units. With the on-going membership registration and revalidation, at the end of the day millions of people may register as members of the ruling party in a single state. This makes it impossible to reach all voters in all polling units with money. While in a state, total number of delegates may not be as many as three thousand but total number of party members may be well over a million.

    Technically, it is easier to manage delegates than mass of the party members. For choice of presidential candidate it means all registered members of the party all over the country would be asked to go all out to vote in all the wards across the country. Rather than delegates converging on a designated centre to vote on behalf of the party members at large, the idea of bringing every dick and harry for a direct primary is no doubt strange in this clime.

    Be that as it may, what direct primary promises in terms of militating against money bags’ influences is however truncated in giving the polity what we know as ‘mobocracy’ rather than democracy. Calling out all members of the party to vote in shadow election will be counter-productive. Such mob action is not good for a nascent democracy. What the party should have done is to ensure that delegates are sufficiently educated politically so that they may have the interest of their party at heart. Not only that, the concept of party discipline which is lacking in virtually all the extant political parties may be a matter of concern. Party leaders are supposed to provide guiding light to members and delegates. Where no one is in charge for selfish reasons, our democracy cannot be nurtured. Fear of delegates going haywire shows that party discipline is lacking and love for money seem to have injured our societal norms and values.  The argument here is that whatever may be the advantages of direct primaries, it is not the best. Calling out all members for all elections from local government, state elections – House of Assembly and governorship primaries – to national elections such as the House of Representatives and senate with the presidential election possibly every week before the general elections, no doubt, people becomes election weary thereby exacerbating the problem of apathy.

    In the final analysis, it is better to educate and enlighten party members and stakeholders as well too that corrosive impact of money in politics is not the best rather than smartly jettisoning indirect election for the fear of lack of firm grip on party members at large.

     

    • Dr. Ojo sent in this piece via eojo12000@gmail.com

     

  • Buhari: vote for candidates of your choice

    President Muhammadu Buhari last night advised Nigerians to vote for candidates of their choice in next year’s general elections.

    He gave the advice while breaking fast with members of the judiciary led by Supreme Court Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

    He said: “Let them vote for anybody they want across ethnicity and religion and impose their decisions on them. I think that is what I am calling on and I am begging the governors to please continue with voter education so that people will take their permanent voter card seriously and make sure that they don’t lose them.

    Recalling his political trajectory for the umpteenth time, He said: “I find it necessary to invite you because I don’t normally see you, I have to repeat what I said having heard what you said. I mentioned that when I was in the military and much younger, we believed things were going wrong and so when I came I took from the president downwards, to Kirikiri (prison) against your advice and told them that they are guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

    “I decided to put on agbada and come back, I tried three times and then fourth time I eventually made it. Thanks to God and thanks to technology because this permanent voter card and card readers are fantastic.

    “Now with technology, it has been made easy. That is why I keep appealing to the governors to embark on voter education, to please tell the people that their voter card is their national card so to speak.

    Speaking on behalf of the judiciary arm of government, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Alpha Belgore said he had always respected the President as a person.

    He said: “He loves this country very much. Because of that, what he need always is to have very good people around him. The economy is down all over Africa so if we have any other problem now, it’s just a child’s play with what is happening in other countries.

    “I pray that this country will continue to develop under you. God will continue to guide you right and the country will be very very strong. We are holding another election next year.” he stated

  • JAMB releases results of 1.5m candidates

    •111,981 results withheld

    THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday released the results of 1.5 million candidates, who sat for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The board, in a statement by its spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, in Abuja yesterday, said it decided to release the results after considering reports of its supervisors’ CCTV footages during the conduct of the examination.

    He said the results of 112,331 and those of visually-impaired candidates are yet to be released.

    Benjamin added that the board was screening the results of 111,981 candidates, which has been withheld.

    The statement reads: “After viewing all CCTV footages during the conduct of the 2018 UTME and considering reports from our supervisors, monitors and other independent Nigerians, who took interest in promoting the quality of public examination in Nigeria, the JAMB has released the results of 1,502,978 candidates who sat for the 2018 UTME.

    “A total of 1,652,825 candidates had indicated interest in the examination by registering for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    “One hundred and twelve thousand, three hundred and thirty-one candidates’ results are yet to be released out of which 350 are the results of the blind candidates, which would be released soon and 111,981 results withheld for further screening.

    “The figure above excludes foreign candidates, whose examination would be conducted in April.”

     

  • Postpone 2018 UTME, say candidates

    •JAMB: no basis for it

    The Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO) has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reschedule the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) date from March 9-17 and reopen the registration portal for candidates yet to complete their registration after creating a profile.

    Hundreds of candidates, who registered for the 2018 UTME disturbed traffic on Bariga-Akoka Road, Lagos last week protesting the examination date. They said it was too close for adequate preparation.

    They argued that the admission process for the 2017 UTME ended as late as last week, leaving little time for candidates, who were not admitted to re-apply and prepare for the 2018 UTME.

    The candidates also called for liberalisation of the registration process by accommodating personal registration on individual computer systems, saying this would lighten the burden on the CBT centres and make the whole process a lot easier and faster.

    They bore placards that read: “Admissions are yet to close, why conducting another UTME now?”, “JAMB isn’t for revenue generation, stop milking our parents”, “2017 UTME held in May, why March in 2018?” “2018 admissions not transparent,” among others. Many of the candidates said they had suffered one way or the other.

    A candidate, Ajao  Olawale, said he had hoped to be admitted, but was disappointed.  He said the remaining time to the examination was insufficient to cover the syllabus.

    Amoda Owolabi  said he scored 240 in the last examination, but was not given admission. “Now that the exam is in March, I need more time to study for the examination,” he said.

    National President, ATSO, Mr Dotun Sodunke, who led the protest, said if the examination holds next month, many candidates would fail as they would be ill-prepared.

    He also called for the abolishment of all fees apart from the registration fees, saying JAMB should consider the poverty in the land and not impoverish the masses.

    He said JAMB should not only be concerned about generating revenue for the government, but consider the time needed to prepare for the examination.

    He said: “The new head of JAMB needs to be called to order. He should not be carried away by the euphoria of revenue generation. The future of this country depends on these children. JAMB is sure that if it conducts the exam early, many candidates would fail, and they would come back to register again next year. This is so because their children don’t school here.

    “Admissions are yet to be concluded, yet you are fixing date for another one. The introduction of the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) is also a fraud. You would be admitted on JAMB portal and on CAPS page it would deny you admission.”

    However, JAMB’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, explained that there was no basis for the postponement being sought by the candidates, saying the date had been announced since last December.

    “JAMB is not alone in this business. All stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have realised that our calendar must be organised and firm as we experience abroad, and it must start somewhere. The new government wants to ensure that academic calendar starts every August and that is why all admissions will be concluded by August this year. So if these candidates are affected, we apologise to them, it is for their good and the good of the nation, “ he said.

    Shodunke said the protest will continue till JAMB changes its policies for the 2018 UTME.

     

  • How to improve UTME, by candidates

    How to improve UTME, by candidates

    Ahead of the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) billed for March 9 to 17, 211,000 candidates sat for a mock test organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The candidates are asking the board to address some issues which could make or mar the examination, report KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE, JANE CHIJIOKE, and MARVELOUS EHIMA.

    Lateness, network connectivity and equipment failure, among others, trailed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) mock exam held last Monday.

    Ahead of the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scheduled for March 9 to 17, candidates are asking JAMB to address these issues.

    No fewer than 211,000 candidates took the test in 602 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.  JAMB arranged for the exam to take place at  7am, 9am and 1.30pm.

    JAMB Registrar Prof Is-haq Oloyede, who monitored the test at some centres in Abuja, said the board  mobilised 2,000 non-JAMB staff members, in addition to its 1,600 workers to man the centres.

     

    Challenges

    Some candidates, who took the examination in Lagos, said the sessions did not start on time. They complained of network and equipment failure.

    At some centres, the sessions started hours behind schedule, resulting in some candidates still taking the two-hour examination as late as 6pm.

    At the Electronic Test Centre (eTC), Ilupeju, the 7am session started by 9am; the one for 9am started at noon. At the Deleware Institute of Technology (DIT), Palmgrove, the first session started around 11am, the second, 1pm, and the third, 4pm.  The examination also started a little behind schedule at the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) International Office centre in Agidingbi, Ikeja, despite some candidates getting there as early as 5.30 a.m. But the situation was better than the eTC and DIT.

    Lateness was not condoned at some centres. In Agidingbi, some candidates were disqualified for coming late. However, the eTC centre was more flexible and allowed some late comers in to take the examination, while at Deleware, the network issues set the examination back by many hours, such that hardly any candidate could be recorded as being late.

    Many candidates attributed the delays at some centres to problems caused by poor network connectivity.

    A source at Deleware said: “The problem was with connecting with the server.  But once that was solved, there were no delays again.”

    Sarah Okunfolami called for an improvement to avoid delays during the main examination.

    “The environment was conducive and the atmosphere was okay. They had network issues during the first session, but they later fixed it. They should improve their network connection to avoid delays,” she said.

    Biodun Adeyemi spent two hours waiting to take the examination at eTC, Ilupeju.

    “Mine was by 7am. I got to the place by 6:10am, but the exam did not start until few minutes to 9am. I wasn’t able to take breakfast because I thought I would be late coupled with the Lagos traffic. But on getting here, I had to wait longer,” he said

    Princess Godwin said she arrived eTC at 11.30am for her 1.30pm paper only to find that her batch would not enter at the scheduled time because the second batch meant to write by 9am went in by noon.

    Zeina Jammal had to deal with equipment failure for a while before it was addressed at the eTC.

    “The first computer I used was difficult for me to log in, so I was asked to use another one. Half way into the exam, the second one went off. It took a while for it to restart before I continued.”

    Fariah Folarin, who wrote at the eTC, also had issues logging in; she urged JAMB to address such problems.

    “I experienced network delay logging in. Later, it was restored. I would love the main exam to be better off,” she said.

    For Aderinsola Oladimeji, the problem was not equipment failure or network issue, but repetition of multiple choice answers in the English Paper (e.g. Option A and B being the same), which made him worry the computer might recognise an option he did not choose as correct, despite being the same as another.

    “There was repetition of options in English Language, which if you choose one, you are not sure whether the other option is the one that has been imputed as the right answer. So, I don’t wish to see that in the main examination. There should be thorough inspection of that,” he said.

    Jimoh Damilare’s grouse was with the tight-sittting arrangement at the Deleware Institute of Technology.

    “The exam was okay, but the sitting arrangement should be better.The seats were too close to each other,” he lamented.

     

    Applause for JAMB

    Despite the hitches many candidates commended the conduct of the examination.

    Maureen Uwa, who sat for the examination for the first time, said it was a success.

    “It went well. I had the notion of JAMB being up to task in conducting the exam. In previous years, the issue of bad computer, mouse, and network failure, not able to access the website were never farfetched. So, seeing improvement is a plus,” she said.

    Zainab Aminu said she did not encounter any problem.

    “I didn’t come across any issue at all. I just concentrated on answering the questions. If CBT can keep getting better yearly, I think it would be helpful to candidates,” she said.

    Anjola Mapedenun praised JAMB for doing its part, saying it eased the burden on the candidates.

    “When a national exam is conducted well, it makes the takers to be at ease and happy. That is the way I feel.  All that should concern me is preparing well,” she said.

    At the WAEC International Centre, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that a candidate, Opemipo Babajide, said taking the mock boosted his confidence towards what to expect in the main exam being his first time.

    “Initially, I was not sure of what I was going to see in the hall. But on getting there, I just ensured I followed the instructions.

    “I discovered that it was really nothing to be afraid of, as everything turned out to be seamless.

    “JAMB has done a great job with the introduction of this mock,” Babajide said.

    Victor Akuwudike, another candidate, praised the seamless operation.

    “I really liked my experience  with the entire examination process.  Everything worked for the good of the examination and I want to salute JAMB for all the behind- the-scene efforts in ensuring the smooth conduct of this mock examination. My prayer is for the board not to relent in ensuring a perfect conduct of the main examination come March,” Akuwudike said.

    Joshua Ayodeji told The Nation that he could not find the right answers among his options during the last UTME.  This did not happen during Monday’s mock.  However, he advised JAMB to ensure it crosschecks that the correct answers are among the options given, especially for the subjects requiring calculations.

    “I want JAMB to effectively monitor it members setting the questions and answers mostly for calculative subjects. Because, at times, after solving the question, you might not even see the answer in the options given. The mistake can also come from JAMB, and in such situation, you end up choosing any of the options different from the ‘right option’ already imputed.

    “This is CBT and not writing with pen. So, whatever is different from what is on the computer is marked wrong. Please, JAMB should consider our efforts. ”

     

    JAMB Registrar’s efforts

    Prof Oloyede said the board monitored the computers used in all 602 CBT centres to check malpractice and illegal logouts.

    He warned that candidates who unplugged their computers in the process of the examination did so at their own risk because the board would penalise them.

    “When questions become difficult and you begin to unplug or tamper with the systems, this will not be entertained again.

    “We are monitoring each system  and when we discover any logout, if it is at the candidate’s instance, then they would have to carry their cross,” he said.

    Oloyede said, as is the norm for the main examination, the board banned mobile phones, some kinds of wristwatches, calculators, glasses and the likes from  the examination halls, adding that it would stop at nothing to fight exam malpractice.

    Though 267,000 candidates registered to take the mock , Oloyede said only 211,000 were cleared to sit for it because of space constraints.

    He said the board reduced the number of candidates because it did not want to conduct the examination beyond one day.

    “It is not that we cannot have more than this number but because if we are to take the examination in all the areas in a particular town, it will take three days.

    “We can take only what a town can take. That is how far we can go,” he said.

    Oloyede warned the owners of the approved CBT centres against malpractices.

  • Easten Bar adopts candidates as Wike preaches peace

    Easten Bar adopts candidates as Wike preaches peace

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has urged the Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to remain united

    He said this would help the association to achieve its objectives and meaningful development for the Southeast and Southsouth geo-political zones.

    Wike spoke in Port Harcourt while declaring open the EBF quarterly meeting.

    He said: “Unity in the EBF is very necessary, from what I have seen in this country, you have no option but to remain united.

    “Even if you are cheated, remain united because unity is key for you to achieve whatever you want to achieve.

    “Please, whatever you are doing, speak with one voice, whatever it takes, take decisions that will help you though it may not be comfortable for everybody.”

    The governor weighed in on the Federal Government’s proposal for voluntary cattle colonies across the federation. Rivers State, he explained, would not be conducive for the scheme.

    Wike said: “They speak of colony, well I don’t know what that means, I have not seen it before. We have a lot of environmental problems here, we have pollution, we have no grass here, so if the cows drink our water, they will die.

    “We have Atlantic Ocean here if they like they can lay pipes and take the water to wherever they like, but for colony, no I don’t know what is.

    “They say that if you speak, you die, if you don’t speak you die, so why not speak and die after all those who don’t speak die early.”

    The meeting endorsed candidates for the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) elections. They include: Chief Arthur Obi Okafor for the position of NBA President, Stanley Chidi Imo for First  Vice-President, Sebastine Anya for Welfare Secretary, Uju Mary Chukwuma-Okafor for  Treasurer, Emeka Anosike Financial Secretary and Mr. Seth Nwokolo for the office of Assistant Publicity Secretary.

    The candidates emerged after a screening conducted by the Forum’s Screening Committee comprising of all the members of the Governing Council of the association, branch chairmen and secretaries of all EBF branches, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria from the EBF states, all national officers of the NBA from the EBF zone, in compliance with Article 11 of its Constitution. This was subsequently approved by the General Meeting of the EBF.

    The screening exercise was witnessed by the First-Vice President of the NBA, Mr. Caleb Dajan; Third Vice-President of the NBA, Mr. Ben Oji; Welfare Secretary of the NBA, Mr. Adesina Adegbite; Vice-chairman of Arewa Lawyers Forum Mr. Garba Pwul (SAN) who led a team of Arewa Lawyers to the event representing the Chairman of Arewa Lawyers Forum Mr. M. A. Abubakar who is now the Governor of Bauchi State; Secretary of Southwest Lawyers, Egbe-Aomfin Mr. Ranti Ajeleti who led a very strong delegation from of Southwest lawyers and a delegation of the Mid-West Bar Forum led by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Alex I. Obade.

    National officers of the NBA of EBF extraction at the event included: NBA Second Vice-President Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, First Assistant Secretary Mr. Leo Okey Ohagba, Financial Secretary Mrs Ngozi Udodi, National Publicity Secretary John Austin Unachukwu, Second Assistant Secretary Ms Cecilia Ugbuji and Assistant Financial Secretary, Mrs Dorcas Ngwu.