There was confusion in Bayelsa State ahead of the forthcoming election on Saturday following the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to retrieve all the 69 missing card readers.
The commission declared 69 card readers missing shortly after conducting the Presidential and National Assembly elections and begged persons in their possession to return them.
But it was gathered that out of the missing number 23 were returned by unknown persons while 46 were still with unknown politicians.
Some politicians were unhappy at the development raising fears that without retrieving all the stolen card readers, the electoral process would be compromised.
They were also unhappy at the inability of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Monday Udoh to give full disclosures of the circumstances that led to disappearance of the card readers and the identities of persons who returned the first 23.
But Udoh said yesterday in Yenagoa that he had declared a two-day amnesty to persons withholding the readers.
He confirmed that 22 smart card readers saying management would take strict measure on areas where card readers were yet to be recovered.
Speaking during the stakeholders’ meeting with leaders of political parties, the REC explained that out of the 24 missing in Nembe Local Government area, only 14 were recovered.
He said in Sagbama out of eight, three had been recovered, Southern Ijaw out of 24 only two were returned while in Yenagoa out of six, only three had been retrieved.
Udoh commended the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), religious leaders, community chiefs, youths, women groups and other stakeholders for persuading the card reader thieves to return them.
He said that INEC would continue to perform its roles as an unbiased umpire in elections conducted in the state.
The REC also urged the people in the state to forego incidents of the past elections and eschew violence for a better election in the state.
He said that election was not a war but a process for leaders to emerge and queried: “If those you are to lead are all dead what is the gain?’
”Election is not war. Where there is peace you find progress and development. So by the time you kill those you are to lead what is the gain and who will you lead?
“Let us all allow peace to reign in the state, before, during and after the elections. 85 per cent of the sensitive materials are already in the Central Bank and we cross-checked them with all party agents to show we are transparent”, he said.
Also speaking, the Administrative Secretary of the commission, Mr. Nduh Sampson, said it was time to allow the people own the electioneering process, adding that the process required a collective and collaborative work.
He also said that everyone must come together to be part of the history to change the narrative of violence to a peaceful and transparent election in the state.
TWO courts yesterday delivered conflicting judgments on the primaries conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State ahead of this year’s elections.
While a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja held that the party failed to conduct a valid primary, a Zamfara State High Court declared that valid primaries took place between October 3 and 7, 2018.
The FHC Abuja, said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted within its powers by refusing to accept list of candidates for the next general elections from the Zamfara State APC.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu said it was not the fault of INEC that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral body.
Justice Ojukwu said INEC’s action was intended to curb impunity among political parties and politicians and ensure compliance with the rule of law.
The judgment was in respect of a suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1279/2018, filed in the name of APC by some individuals, who said they emerged from a consensus arrangement adopted by the party in Zamfara State.
Justice Ojukwu, dismissed the case for lacking merit, noting that evidence presented before the court by parties did not show that the APC conducted its primaries within INEC’s published schedule of activities, which required parties to conduct their primaries and submit list of candidates within August 18 and October 7, 2018
The judge said the decision of the APC in Zamfara to select its candidates through a consensus option, breached the provision of the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.
Justice Ojukwu said, by the fact before the court, it could not be held that INEC acted ultra vires by rejecting Zamfara APC’s candidates’ list.
She said: “The intendment of the law is that due process must be followed. The 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) action was to ensure that the party complies with rule of law.”
The judge said it was obvious that, as at the close of nomination for the 2019 elections, according to INEC guidelines, the party (APC) had no candidates, having failed to conduct legitimate primary.
Earlier, Justice Ojukwu had dismissed the preliminary objection brought against the suit,and said that there was no similarity between the case before her court and the one pending before the High Court of Justice, Zamfara State, marked: ZMS/GS/52/2018 filed on December 6, 2018 by Alhaji Babangida Abdullahi, Chairman, APC, Gusau Local Government and others against the APC and others.
In Gusau, Justice Muhammad Bello Shinkafi of the Zamfara State High Court held that the APC actually has candidates having conducted valid primaries between October 3 and 7, 2018.
He therefore ordered INEC to accept the candidates produced by the primaries as APC candidates in Zamfara for all positions in the forthcoming general elections.
Shinkafi said: “Now on the strength of the evidence adduced by the plaintiff, the evidence elicited from both DWS 1 and 2 during cross examination as well as the documentary evidence tendered and admitted in evidence, I am satisfied that the plaintiffs have proved their case against the defendants.
“Consequently therefore, the above issue for determination is hereby answered in the affirmative and all the reliefs claimed by the plaintiffs are hereby granted.
The reliefs are:
o An order declaring as lawful and valid the primary election conducted by the APC(here plaintiffs party) under the supervision of the 3rd Defendant and security agents on the 3rd and 7th October 2018 for the purpose of producing candidates to vie for various elective office, which produce the plaintiffs under the platform of the 1st Defendant.
o A declaration that any decision or steps taken to reverse the result of the primary election duly conducted on the 3rd and 7th October, 2018 and monitored by the 3rd Defendant is or will amount to a nullity, void and of no effect.
o “A declaration that the 1st Defendant is bound to recognize, accept and forward to the 3rd Defendant the list of candidates that emerged winners in the governorship, national and state Legislative Houses primary elections of the 1st Defendant in Zamfara State held on the 3rd and 7th October 2018.
INEC was awaiting the certified true copies of the two judgments before taking a decision at press time .
There is confusion in the Senate. When there is uncertainty about the majority party and the minority party in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, it is a striking sign that the Red Chamber is upside down.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) argued about the numerical strength of their parties in the Senate on December 13. It was a curious argument because the position of Senate Leader is supposed to be held by a member of the majority party. So if Lawan holds the position, it should mean that his party is the majority party in the Senate.
But clearly, the situation is not so clear. For instance, Senate President Bukola Saraki, who was formerly a member of APC, still holds the position despite his defection to PDP in July. He should have been removed from that office because he attained the position on the basis of being a member of the majority party. If Saraki is still President of the Senate, it suggests that PDP is the majority party in the Senate. Is it? If it is not, Saraki’s occupation of the office discredits him and the Senate.
It is noteworthy that Saraki was quoted as saying: “Our Constitution says members of the National Assembly who so wish (shall elect a President)… it does not say you have to come from the majority party. There are those that know that.” This position is unprincipled.
Saraki became President of the Senate controversially. He actualised his ascendancy through an unapologetic defiance of his party’s desire and decision. His scheming resulted in a queer combination and cohabitation at the helm of the Senate: Saraki of the ruling APC, a party elected to power on the premise of progressivism, and Ekweremadu of the unprogressive PDP. As things stand now, Saraki and Ekweremadu are both PDP members and the Senate leadership is in the hands of PDP.
It is puzzling that numerical strength became an issue. But it is also enlightening. A report captured the argument between Ekweremadu and Lawan: “The Senate Leader pointedly dismissed reports that the confirmation of the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo, as a board member of Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), did not follow the due process. Lawan said: “The media reported that APC has 57 senators while PDP has 58. For the record, APC senators are 56 while PDP senators are 46. Again, the media reported that majority of senators voted against the confirmation of Keyamo, but that you (Ekweremadu) ruled that the ‘ayes’ had it. I want to put it on record that when you put the first question, it was not clear whether the ‘ayes’ or ‘nays’ had it. But by the time you put the second question, it was clear that the ‘ayes’ had it.”
The report continued: “Ekweremadu, who appeared uncomfortable with Lawan’s submission, said: “The issue of how we vote is determined by voice vote, and it is based on the decision of the presiding officer. If anybody has issues with the ruling, we can call for division. But since nobody called for any division, it meant that senators were in tandem with the ruling. So, it won’t be proper for newspapers to report what is not correct. As regards the party configuration, I want to say there is no particular statistics for now. We cannot talk about the figures that each political party has because there is no such statistics. So, let it be on record that we have no such record now.”
The Deputy Senate President’s assertion is absurd. If there are no official figures that can clarify the numerical strength of the parties in the Senate, it is a confirmation of confusion.
An August 5 report gives an insight into the comedy of figures in the Senate: “The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC… took a dramatic turn on the floor of the Senate as 14 senators elected on the platform of the party dumped it for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC. With the defection, the number of PDP senators rose from 42 to 56, thereby making it the majority party in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.”
The report added: “Prior to the development, the APC officially had 64 seats in the Senate, but now has 50 while the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) has one with the remaining two seats vacant on account of the death of Senator Ali Wakil ( Bauchi South) and Bukar Mustapha (Katsina North). The defection of the senators was contained in a letter read by Senate President Bukola Saraki who presided at plenary. They said that their action came after due consultations with their constituents.” Soji Akanbi (Oyo South) “later made a U-turn, saying he remained a member of the APC.”
The report continued: “Soon after the defection, PDP senators embraced one another, rejoicing that they now form the majority in the red chamber. It got to a point that the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, drew the attention of his colleagues to the fact that his party, the PDP, was now the majority and that he should immediately be recognised as the Majority Leader… After the drama that unfolded at the hallowed chamber, the Senate caucus of the APC said that, in spite of the dumping of the party by 14 of its members for the PDP, it was still the majority party in the upper chamber.”
It is interesting that Senator Akpabio, who was a PDP member and Senate Minority Leader at the time this mass defection happened in July, is now an APC campaigner. Akpabio moved to APC in August. This shows how things change in the Senate and how senators change.
There are 109 seats in the Nigerian Senate. This figure has not changed. But who belongs where keeps changing. The public should be clear about where their elected representatives belong, and which party is the majority party in the Senate.
The mysterious death of a seven-year- old pupil of St George’s Primary School, Okeagbe-Akoko, Ondo State, Olumide Olumilua, is causing confusion in the community.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Okeagbe-Akoko, Adetaranmi Ibitayo, said a case of missing child was reported.
He said a search group discovered the body the second day at Aje Quarters, adding that the hands were tied with a rope.
The Nation learnt that the deceased lived with his grandmother, as his parents had divorced.
The body, according to the DPO, had been deposited at the Ikare Specialist Hospital mortuary, while investigations were on.
The Ikare-Akoko Police Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Razak Rauf, urged parents to monitor their children.
He said they should not allow them to roam the streets after school.
The political situation in Benue State took a new twist yesterday, with 12 members of the 30-member House of Assembly endorsing a move to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom.
Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange, who was last week ‘removed‘ by 19 members for alleged high handedness, yesterday told reporters in Makurdi, the state capital, that the House would serve Ortom an the impeachment notice “within seven days”.
Ikyange had rejected his removal, which he described as “an act of illegality”.
Although Justice Ada Onum had granted an injunction restraining Ikyange , James Okefe and Benjamin Adanyi from parading themselves as Speaker ,deputy speaker and leader, . in a ruling on an ex parte motion brought by factional Speaker Hon.Titus Uba, Ikyange said he was not put on notice before the purported order was granted .
“ I was not served and the entire House was not aware that we have been dragged to court. Besides, I’m with the real mace and we sat at the main chamber while the other lawmakers are sitting in Government House,” said Ikyange
He had argued that his removal did not follow due process because the 19 lawmakers met while the House was on recess.
Ikyange, who called out the remaining lawmakers for a plenary, said the lawmakers had reolved to impeach the governor for alleged gross financial misconduct.
He accused the governor of misappropriating N54 billion from the state’s coffers.
Giving a breakdown of the funds allegedly misappropriated, Ikyange said N22 billion was embezzled from the security vote while N32 billion was from local government funds.
He also claimed that the lawmakers were not happy over the non-payment of workers’ salaries.
NAN, however, reports that the identity of the members who sat with Ikyange was not disclosed to reporters who were barred from accessing the Assembly complex.
The other group of legislators, who removed Ikyange last week, described the impeachment notice as “illegal”.
The lawmakers, who were forced to use the Old Banquet Hall, Makurdi, after being denied access to the Assembly complex, said the members did not form the required quorum to sit and deliberate on the said impeachment.
In his motion dismissing the impeachment motion, Majority Leader Avine Agbum said the presiding officer at the session (Ikyange) was the removed Speaker who had been suspended for six months.
He also moved for the suspension of all members at the session where the said impeachment notice was initiated.
Ikyange insisted that what he described as the governor’s financial recklessness was responsible for non-payment of civil servants for seven months. Local government workers are owed 11 months and pensioners 14 months .
Ortom dismissed the allegations of fraud and non – performance as blatant lies .
The governor, who said he had worked with the Speaker for three years, wondered why he did not raise the issues until his defection to the PDP.
“ The only crime against me is that I enacted anti – open grazing prohibition law. which is the product of the people of Benue State “.
The governor pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to call Inspector – General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to order..
He said eight members of the House could not over rule 22 members
“All that they are trying to do is to change the narratives against me and demobilise me,” Ortom said.
There is confusion regarding the actual employers of the 300 street sweepers’ supervisors that were recently sacked in Lagos State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Environmental Utility firm, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd (VSS) told NAN yesterday in Lagos that the supervisors were employed for the Lagos State Government, under the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).
Mr Adebola Shabi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on CLI said the government had nothing to do with the news making the rounds that it had sacked the 300 supervisors.
Shabi said the CLI contracted Standard Street Manpower Ltd. (SSML) on the employment of street sweepers.
According to him, Cleaner Lagos is a government initiative, not a contractor, while Visionscape is the contractor, hence, government can decide it does not want Visionscape but Cleaner Lagos will remain.
“Maybe it is Visionscape that sacked them, Cleaner Lagos has not sacked anybody.
“SSML is a consultant to the state government on engagement of sweepers but we have told them that at the end of June, all sweepers should be handed over to the Ministry of Environment.
“We don’t know any issue about the sack; I have been trying to get the information from Visionscape and they are directing me to their head office.
“The sack has nothing to do with Cleaner Lagos because we did not employ and we did not sack. Lagos State does not believe in sacking people,’’ he said.
The Head, Corporate Communications, VisionScape, Mrs Motunrayo Elias, told NAN that the company was not the only contractor under the CLI.
Elias said when the structure for waste management was put in place, government said it wanted street sweepers to clean the inner streets, among other arrangements.
She said the structure for street sweepers’ supervisors was also put in place, that was the arrangement between CLI, VSS and SSML, which was the company managing the street sweepers.
Elias said the supervisors were hired by SSML but were trained by VSS and worked with VSS Area Managers, to ensure the synergy of sweeping and packing the refuse.
“Now, with the controversy about PSP operators wanting to go back to work, government said that the street sweepers should revert to them.
“So if you have taken the street sweepers, what are you going to do with their supervisors?
“When we had a meeting, the issue was brought up and government asked how much was the salary, that was where the problem started.
“Government said it cannot afford the salary, which was between N80,000 to N120,000 but can only pay N25,000 per month.
“So the company paid the supervisors their disengagement bonuses, with Visionscape paying them two months’ salaries, while government was trying to decide.
“For fact, the supervisors were supposed to be transferred to the Ministry of Environment. It was a labour contract from the CLI,’’ she said.
Elias said the structure that was put in place for waste management in the state injected income to the economy, as people were better off.
She said that it was essential to take the good with the bad, as nobody talked about the good that the whole system was doing when it was creating employment.
NAN reports that the disengagement letters to the supervisors was signed by the Head, Human Resources and Administration, SSML, Oluwatoyin Ayoola.
The letter reads; ‘“In light of the recent review of the implementation of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative and the impact of these changes on our operational requirements as discussed at our meeting held on the 2nd of June 2018, we regrettably write to inform you that it affects your employment with Standard Street Manpower Ltd.
“As discussed, the transfer of Ward Level Sanitation Programme (Community sanitation workers) to the Lagos State Government has rendered your position as Sanitation Supervisor redundant and your services will no longer be required with effect from 14th of June, 2018.’’
A home coming reception for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in next month’s election in Ekiti State, Dr.Kayode Fayemi, turned bloody in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, last night.
A mobile policeman opened fire as Fayemi, surrounded by scores of party chieftains, was leaving APC’s state secretariat to move to the city centre in continuation of the rally.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, and five other people were hit by bullets.
Bamidele was struck in the belly.
APC last night gave the names of the other victims as Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin, Ogunmodede Oluwole and Alex Adeleye, and alleged that the real target was Fayemi himself.
Governor Ayodele Fayose said the attack was self-induced.
His spokesman, Lere Olayinka, said the bullet that hit Bamidele and others was “fired by one of the armed mobile policemen who accompanied Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.”
The wounded people were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The suspected policeman was overpowered and disarmed by angry party members who also gave him the beating of his life.
He was saved from possible death by his colleagues.
Police sources said last night that he was on an illegal duty.
Confusion enveloped the scene as bullets rang out and people ran for dear lives.
Moment before the shooting, Fayemi had driven to the premises in the company of his wife, Bisi.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; his running mate Chief Bisi Egbeyemi; former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde and other senior party figures had all accompanied Fayemi from the Akure Airport to Ekiti State where they were received by a massive crowd.
The suspect was seen helping to keep the surging crowd at bay when the unexpected happened: he began shooting in the direction of Fayemi and other dignitaries.
Suspect was on illegal duty –police sources
Police sources said last night that the suspected policeman was on illegal duty.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ekiti State, Mr. Caleb
Chukwuemeka said a detailed report of the incident was still being compiled.
Handling the assignment is the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Chukwuemeka promised to get back when the official report of the incident gets to his table
A senior officer at Ekiti State Command who asked not to be quoted denied speculation that the culprit was a fake officer.
But he said the suspect was on illegal duty in Ekiti State.
“The man who fired gunshots at the APC secretariat is not a fake MOPOL officer. He is a genuine officer, but he came to Ekiti on illegal duty,” the source said.
“He is attached to MOPOL 20 in Lagos but followed a politician to Ekiti.
“He is not on official duty to Ekiti. He is receiving treatment at a secured environment and investigation continues.”
The MOPOL who shot ex-Reps member Opeyemi Bamidele and five other APC members at the rally to welcome the party’s candidate,Dr. Kayode Fayemi… yesterday. PHOTO: Odunayo OGUNMOLA.
It was an assassination attempt on Fayemi,says APC
In its first reaction to the shooting, the State Chapter of the APC said Fayemi was the main target.
It alleged that four gunmen had mixed with the crowd to carry out the attack.
Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr.Taiwo Olatunbosun, who spoke for the party said: Bloody politicking returned to Ekiti State today as former Governor Kayode Fayemi survived assassination in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
“Fayemi resigned his appointment on Wednesday as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and was returning to Ekiti State on Friday in a welcome party planned by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“It was a smooth ride from Akure Airport to Ikere-Ekiti where thousands of supporters came out to give him a rousing welcome.
“Ikere-Ekiti journey to Ado-Ekiti, a distance of about nine kilometres, lasted two hours in a heavy traffic that was punctuated by four gunmen suspected to be agents of the state government who strategically positioned themselves at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti for the attack.
“One of the assailants dressed in mobile police uniform was apprehended and he is now helping the police in their investigation.
“They fired gunshots aimed at Fayemi but hit a former lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, after the former minister had taken a few steps forward before the bullets hit the target.
“Bamidele and other victims were immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors are treating them.
“Bamidele was wounded in the attack while others also sustained various degrees of injuries.
“Other victims in the hospital included Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin, Ogunmodede Oluwole and Alex Adeleye.”
We’ll rescue Ekiti –Fayemi, Akeredolu
Earlier, Fayemi and his entourage were received by the state APC executive led by the Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe.
Akeredolu and Fayemi, while addressing party leaders and members, declared the readiness of the APC to rescue Ekiti from poverty, hunger and underdevelopment.
Akeredolu applauded the party members for putting behind them the post-primary crisis, and declared that if the crowd he saw yesterday was anything to go by, Ekiti remains a stronghold of the APC.
“Fayemi has returned with full force to reclaim the land,” he said.
“He needs your support and this task shall be achieved in the mighty name of God.”
Fayemi said: “We are here to work for Ekiti and our party leaders and this we are going to do together because it is a collective responsibility.
“We are going to work with everybody, including those who just decamped to our party, because we are one big family in APC.
“We shall win by the grace of God. Our case was like the case of a ram who moved backward to garner more strength. We are here to rescue Ekiti and it is a task we must achieve.”
Adeyeye, who joined the APC on Tuesday after 12 years in the PDP, said: “Fayose (Governor Ayodele) is politically dead and buried.
“I have returned home and my mission is to ensure that we kill Fayose politically by burying him.
“We shall mobilise well to achieve this task, and by the grace of God, this is a must-win and must accomplishd task for all of us.”
Thousands of people waved as Fayemi’s motorcade passed through Akure, Iju, Itaogbolu in Ondo State on the way to Ekiti State.
A massive lockdown soon ensued at Oke Osun, Odo Oja Oke’kere areas of Ikere where thousands of party faithful had gathered to welcome the flag bearer into the state. The convoy arrived Ikere township at about 3.00 pm.
It took another one hour for the train to reach Ado-Ekiti where a crowd was waiting to receive Fayemi and his team. They arrived the state capital at about 4.00 pm.
Enthusiastic residents held placards, banners and flyers with Fayemi’s portraits.
The Hausa, Ebira, Igbo and Urhobo communities, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), market women and commercial motorcycle riders joined in the reception party.
Traffic was at a standstill along Ikere Road in Ado-Ekiti for about three with party members holding party on the highway.
Fayose: Blame APC for attack
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State last night accused the APC of causing yesterday’s bloodshed.
Fayose in a WhatsApp message by his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, alleged that suspected APC thugs backed by armed policemen caused mayhem at Ojumose area of Ado-Ekiti.
He said: “Bloodshed in Ado-Ekiti now as Fayemi and his APC invaded Ekiti with thugs.
“Shot fired by one of the armed mobile policemen that accompanied Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State hit Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
“APC thugs backed by policemen were also on the rampage at Ojumose area of Ado-Ekiti.
“One of the canisters of teargas fired by the policemen hit a woman in a taxi just now, injuring her seriously. The late Prince Adegoke’s house was invaded by armed policemen.”
With the 2019 general election only some echo distance away, it is evident that the prevalent culture in the Nigerian political class yet leaves much to be desired.
At the last count, the quest for electoral votes at whatever level seems equated to an all-out war. And whereas there is relentless public demand on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upscale the overall integrity of balloting in this country, which the electoral umpire obviously is making necessary efforts to meet up, political actors appear unwilling or simply unable to cut lose from tendencies of desperation and impunity that have historically hobbled our electoral democracy. And so, electoral politics in our country remains a matter of – as they say in backwater lingo – confusion break bone.
Famous Irish-British playwright and polemicist, George Bernard Shaw, wrote that: “An election is a moral horror, as bad as a battle except for the blood; a mud bath for every soul concerned in it.” But we must say he understated the facts as they apply to the Nigerian experience, because unlike Shaw’s moderation of his comparism, shedding of human blood is fair collateral in electoral contestations by Nigerian political players.
The most recent cases in point here are the congresses just conducted by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party, which touted a new deal in political culture, held its ward congresses on May 5th, local government congresses on May 12th and state congresses last Saturday. And though the party’s leadership held those congresses largely satisfactory, having met with minimal glitches in some states, there were verifiable incidents of violence and other irregularities in many states.
The congresses in Imo State were so troubled that Governor Rochas Okororocha headed up a call for pulling the plugs. The local government congress could not hold as scheduled penultimate Saturday because of a spate of violence in which the state party secretariat was first vandalised, and subsequently torched, warranting the police taking over the premises. Before then, the ward congress was bedevilled by the hijack of electoral materials reportedly at the instance of party top shots. The police subsequently paraded suspects allegedly arrested with result sheets of the Imo ward congress in a distant Abuja hotel, and one of those suspects got confirmed as an aide to serving Senator Hope Uzodinma.
In Rivers State, there were reports of injuries and molestation as supporters of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which ordinarily had no business with APC congresses, squared up in violent confrontation during a siege on the state’s high court complex. The APC protesters had wanted to prevent the court from ruling on a petition by Senator Magnus Abe-led party faction in the state, which sought an order stopping the local government congress, having allegedly been deviously excluded from the process. The PDP meddlers showed up at the court complex to frustrate the APC members’ bid. And the court obliged the petitioner the order that was sought despite the protests, but it did not stop the party from going ahead with the exercise.
There were reports of other incidents, and fatalities not directly connected with the congresses though. Violence rocked the congress in Irele local government area of Ondo State, for instance, where hoodlums stormed the venue and assaulted party members assembled to vote. Party leaders in the council thereafter passed the buck freely as to who enlisted those hoodlums. Breaches of the civil order were recorded in many other places where the congresses held.
The police confirmed one person killed and three injured at Yamaltu / Deba council area of Gombe State where the congress was reported to be largely peaceful. An argument among party members after the voting had ended accounted for those casualties. A similar incident occurred in Lagos State where a party member said not to have even been accredited to vote was shot dead in a fracas that ensued at the Agege local government congress. An unconfirmed number of other persons also suffered injuries. “The victim was killed outside the venue of the APC congress. The victims and those arrested (as suspects) had nothing to do with the election as they were not accredited,” police command spokesman Chike Oti was reported saying. But party chiefs, including Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, deplored the incident and insisted on the police bringing culprits to book.
There were reports of purported parallel congresses in many states, which shouldn’t be of much concern really because the party leadership has its records of valid congresses – well, at least until the courts begin to rule contenders in and out arising from litigations. But one extreme case of deviance was the suit by an aspirant in Ohafia local government area of Abia State who applied for an Abuja high court’s order compelling INEC to deregister his own party and to stop further congresses and national convention by the party. Violence and other irregularities as well hobbled the most significant electoral contest conducted by the ruling party, namely the Ekiti State governorship primary that Solid Minerals Minister Kayode Fayemi eventually won.
Even with all those challenges, the APC, at least going by Nigerian standards, furthered its democracy credentials by running open and participatory if troubled congresses. It is yet to be seen whether other political parties, especially the PDP which has a legendary reputation for imposition and cultic anointing of candidates but took to the rooftops to heckle the ruling party for the flaws in its congresses, will allow for open and unfettered elections in the coming days and months to choose their officials and flagbearers at different levels; and that, at what costs to civil order. Just by the way, we also have to wait to see whether the touted ‘third force’ spearheaded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo hasn’t indeed become a ‘third farce’ with its integration now with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Now to the cheese: granted that the quality of Nigerian elections hinges to a great extent on the integrity, dispassion and professionalism of INEC as the umpire, there is much to be inputed by other stakeholders, especially political actors. And the most pressing need at this time, from indications, is for them to cultivate necessary civility in political culture and submission to applicable regulations in electoral contests.
You rightly ask: how is this to be achieved? One way, I dare say, is for the electoral public to start holding political parties and their members more strictly to expectations from them, just the way the electoral commission is being held to its expectations. A practical step towards that end could be for civil society and other independent observers to be present at major party congresses and primaries – that is, beyond elections conducted by INEC where they presently feature – and call out groups or individuals who violate due process.
Also, leaderships of the parties may need to regularly educate their members and supporters on the essentials of civility and decency in political conduct. But INEC itself might just need to revisit its Code of Conduct document for political parties and get the players to renew their commitment and be held accountable to its provisions.
The point being made here is: if we would make the most of the 2019 poll, it is high time Nigerian politicians stopped regarding electoral contests as war.
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Confusion trailed the conduct of the All Progressives Congress ward congresses in Cross River State yesterday.
It was gathered that the Stanley Ekezie-led Ward Congress Committee which arrived Calabar, the state capital, on Friday evening had in a meeting with stakeholders agreed to shift the congresses by 24 hours to Sunday.
They had also agreed to have a meeting on Saturday morning by eight o’clock in this regard.
By eight o’clock yesterday, party members and stalwarts from across the state had convened at the party’s secretariat premises for the meeting but the committee members were absent.
The situation generated tension as members accused the committee of being hijacked.
After waiting for hours party stalwarts like Hilliard Eta, National Vice Chairman South-South; Okoi Obono Obla, Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution; Senator John Owan-Enoh, Hon Cletus Obun, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong, Hon Venatius Ikem, Hon Paul Adah, Barrister Utum Eteng, among others led members to a hotel in Calabar where the Committee members were staying.
According to Eta, they were going to lay siege to the hotel to ensure that the committee members came out to ensure the right thing is done.
The party stalwarts who spoke with our reporter accused the National President, John Odigie Oyegun, and the National Organising Secretary, Osita Izunaso, of being behind the crisis in the party in the state.
They all eventually, with the committee members, returned to the party secretariat for a meeting presided over by Eta, where they resolved that the congresses be postponed indefinitely and the election materials be handed over to the Commissioner of Police for custody.
In a resolution at the end of the meeting, signed by Eta, Obla, Owan-Enoh, Eteng, Adah, Nyong, among others, they accused the ward congress chairman, Ekezie of colluding with others to rig the process.
According to the resolution, vigilant members of the party discovered already prepared and filled result sheets and other incriminating document in an SUV vehicle parked in the hotel.
“In the light of the above have resolved that we do not have confidence in the Chairman, Stanley Ekezie, and other members of APC Cross River State Ward Congress to superintend a credible free, fair and transparent Ward congresses in Cross River,” they said.
The chairman of the Congress Committee, Stanley Ekezie, who said nothing throughout the meeting, also declined comment.
There was confusion in Katsina Ala town yesterday following attacked by alleged soldiers from 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi, Benue state.
On Monday night, some people dressed in Army Uniforms armed with AK 47 stormed Tse-Agirigi settlement on Katsina Ala-Takum federal road and set many houses ablaze.
The ‘soldiers’ also destroyed properties like cars, motorcycles and household materials.
The victims, mostly peasant farmers, ran away.
Report said an army captain was killed on the federal highway by suspected armed robbers, who mounted road block on Sunday. The soldiers, it was said, carried out a reprisal attacked to fish out the hoodlums.
However, Governor Samuel Ortom denied that it was soldiers who carried out the attacked on state Radio.
The Governor said he has despatched his security adviser Col. Edwin Jando to assess the situation and report back to him.
The victims are however claiming that those who attacked and set their houses ablaze are Nigerian Army personnel.
Benue State Police Command Spokesman, Moses Yamu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) told The Nation that report they had from Katsina Ala is that those who attacked the community are hoodlums in military uniforms.
“The report we had is they are hoodlums in military uniform but we have launched investigation into the matter and until investigation proof otherwise,” said DSP Yamu.
