The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ELECTION

  • ‘PDP ‘ll ensure credible election’

    ‘PDP ‘ll ensure credible election’

    Senate President David Mark has assured Nigerians that, despite the  challenges  confronting the President Goodluck Jonathan  Administration the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will ensure free and fair elections next year.

    Senator Mark stated this  in Jos, the Plateau State capital,  at the distribution of economic empowerment items sponsored by the Senator representing Plateau North senatorial zone to constituents.

    According to Senator Mark, “Nigerians do not need to nurse any apprehension over 2015 elections, the ruling party, PDP, will ensure a credible election at all levels. We are only pleading that politicians not to make their election a do or die affair.

    He said: “All Nigerians should be assured of free, fair and credible election in 2015. But in every game there must be winner and losers,those who loose should not make it a battle front because there is always another opportunity to try again.

    Senator Mark commended Senator Pwajok for his contribution in the Senate and as well as his concern for his constituents.

    In his opening remarks, Senator  Pwajok said, “The constituency empowerment and Development Program was organised to mark my two years in the senate. These items are meant to economically empower women, youths and the less privileges in my constituency. My desire is for them to have financial independent and self-employed”

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who was represented  by the deputy governor, Ambas Ignatius Longjan was full of praises for Senator Pwajok whom he said had given Plateau State credible representation at the National Assembly.

    Items distributed by Senator Pwajok at the constituency empowerment programme include, grinding machines, sewing Machines, tricycles, hair dressing kits, irrigation water pumps, vehicles and computer sets amongst others amounting to over N150 million.

  • UWUA BLASTS COACHES ELECTION

    UWUA BLASTS COACHES ELECTION

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been called upon to as a matter of urgency set up a fact finding committee to look into the Nigeria coaches association election which took place two years ago with Bitrus Bewarang emerging as President.

    Former BCC Lions of Gboko coach Godwin Uwua who made the call, submitted that the said the election was cooked and should be investigated to checkmate celebration of illegality.

    Baring his mind on the issue Tuesday, Uwua just back from from attending an international course noted that Nigerian coaches were not carried along in the election, an indication that a huge problem exists in the coaching family.

    “I am  from the North Central so ordinarily I have nothing to complain about because the President, the Vice President and the training officer are from my zone but because of my pedigree and patriotism as a coach in this country we cannot sit down and watch things go bad,” he said.

    Uwua noted that big names in the coaching job in the country were completely left out in the election listing embattled Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi, proposed caretaker coach Shuaibu Amodu and James Peters as some top coaches that were left in the dark about the election.

    “A cooked election was held two years ago and nobody was carried along, The NFF should call the coaches and investigate how that executive emerged. There is no doubt that many coaches in the country are not satisfied with the setting so this investigation should come up before the next football season,” he added.

  • NAPHER-SD ELECTION: NIS LECTURER EMERGES CHAIRMAN

    The 5th Conference and Annual General Meeting/Election of the Nigerian Association for Physical  Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD) ,Lagos State Chapter has ended in Lagos with Dr. Odeyemi Hammed, a senior  Lecturer at the  National institute  for Sports (NIS), emerging as the new chairman of the body, while the former assistant secretary, Mr Ige-Jenyo Solomon was elected as the new secretary General.

    The election which was held at the multi-purpose hall of the National Institute for sports also saw a seasoned Sports journalist, Mr Patrick Ibeh, the producer of metrosports on metro 97.7 FM elected as the Public Relations Officer.

    Other elected officers include Mr Kehinde Sonaike (2nd Vice Chairman), Mr Adewunmi Philips-(3rd Vice chairman), Mr Dominic Lawani (asstant secretary), Mrs Titilayo Pinheiro(Financial Secretary), Mrs Wurola Balogun(Treasurer), Ahmed Ogunleye(Auditor 1), Samuel Dauda (Auditor 2), Mrs Modupe Olaiya

    (Auditor 3), Aina Bayode (Social/Welfare Officer) and Prince Olukunga Hakeem who was elected as the Director of Sports.

    The elected officers who were immediately sworn- in by Professor Rafiu Olaoluwa Okuneye, former Dean, Faculty of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos are to oversee the affairs of Association for the next fours years  being two terms of two years each.

    Professpr Okuneye equally charged the new officers to use their tenure in office to take the Association to greater heights.

  • ‘Election funding not well-regulated’

    A human rights group, the One Voice, has called for a better regulation of election funding ahead of next year’s poll.

    It said the framework to control the use of money in politics is not only weak, but makes no provision for punishing violations.

    “Both the 1999 Constitution and the Section 84 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 made it compulsory for all political parties to submit audited reports of their election expenses three months after elections, but none of them meets this deadline,” One Voice said.

    The group, at a press conference jointly organised by the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), also condemned the pre-mature political campaigns that contravene the Electoral Act’s provisions that such activities should begin 90 days before the election.

    “Virtually all elected public officials have abandoned their duty posts to embrace political campaigns, flouting the law. When overt member drives precede statutory electioneering campaign period, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should act fast to enforce the law.

    “One Voice is particularly worried about the increasing number of political rallies (by purposely established NGO’s and party loyalists). National/state funds are beign recklessly deployed to bankroll these rallies, thereby making Nigerians to suffer on the ‘good governance index’,” it said.

    The group urged INEC to shelve the use of the additional polling units which it said heated up the polity. “One Voice, therefore, is calling on INEC to discard the plan of creating 30,000 additional polling units after 2015 general elections when the dust of tensed political situation would have settled. Thereafter, INEC can seek the approval of the incoming National Assembly.

    “To go ahead to implement this plan is to further plunge the country into political turmoil, and INEC should be seen as umpire regulator and not partisan political institution,” One Voice added.alleged that the botched arms deal, as a result of which $15million was seized by South Afircan authorities, is linked to next year’s election.

    It called for vigilance by voters, saying the arms could not have been meant to fight insurgency as the budget for it had already been approved by the National Assembly, including the additional $1billion.

    One Voice believes the arms deal transaction was not done through legitimate means because the aim was to conceal it, bring in the arms secretly, and deploy them for illegitimate purposes, possibly during the election.

    The group’s Media Committee Chairman Pastor Deji Adeleye, said the deal was authorised by highly-placed persons who are powerful enough to use the government as cover when the deal went wrong.

    One Voice said because of the illicit nature of the deal, the actors jettisoned the standard mode of purchasing arms, which is a government-to-government transaction, and instead used third parties not approved by both governments.

    The transactions’ sinister aim, the group said, is reinforced by the fact the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was not involved in them and has refused to clarify the dealings.

    “South African was not convinced it was a legitimate transaction, which is why it seized the monies. Who authorised the Nigerians involved in the deal? Was it the President of the Chief of Defence Staff? We believe the government is just being used as camouflage to cover the illegal transactions. It’s only those who want to military the country during the election that are behind the importation,” the group asked.

     

     

  • Osun APC to PDP: produce verdict nullifying legislators’ election

    Osun APC to PDP: produce verdict nullifying legislators’ election

    Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to produce a certified true copy (CTC) of the pronouncement of the Federal Court of Appeal, which sat in Akure last week and nullified the elections of federal and state legislators conducted by Rufus Akeju in 2011.

    The party said until the PDP can produce the CTC, Nigerians and Osun people should discountenance the party’s claim that the court had nullified the elections.

    APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, in a statement, said there was “no such declaration by any court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” adding that what the PDP has fed the public “is not only a misinformation, it is a blatant lie.”

    The APC stated as follows:

    “Before the 2011 election was held, the PDP went to the Federal High Court, Osogbo to stop Amb. Akeju, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, from supervising the said election on the allegation that the commissioner was allegedly a card-carrying member of the ACN (now APC) and a close associate of Senator  Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader.

    “The Osogbo Federal High Court granted the PDP an interlocutory injunction restraining Akeju  from supervising  the conduct of the election, but refused the prayer that INEC be restrained from conducting the election. However INEC immediately appealed and obtained a stay of execution of that ruling pending the determination of its appeal.

    “Curiously, while the appeal was pending, prior to the election, the PDP also went back to the same Osogbo Federal High Court. Against all known legal procedure to demand a stay of proceedings of the case it took to the High Court. So effectively, not only the INEC, but also the PDP stopped any further action on the substantive matter until the determination of the appeal in the Court of Appeal, Akure.

    “ The elections  held while the litigation was practically on hold.

    “After the elections (which the PDP lost woefully), they went to court –  not the Tribunal – to seek to nullify the election by bringing a fresh suit instead of the initial suit appealed against. The INEC promptly challenged the court jurisdiction to entertain the suit and the PDP on their own volition promptly withdrew the suit. “However, on the initial suit pending at the Federal High Court, which the PDP got an order for stay, ACN then applied to be  a joinder and the application was granted. But when other political parties sought similar joinder, the court rejected their application and they also immediately appealed that decision.

    “ So effectively, four different applications were before the courts – two in Osogbo and two at the Court of appeal, Akure. The appeal by INEC against the interlocutory injunction granted the PDP before proceedings were held up in Osogbo was the one determined on Friday in Akure.

    “ Our authentic information is that the court declared that the process of filing the appeal by INEC was defective, hence incompetent and was as a result struck out. “The Court of Appeal neither made pronouncement on the substantive suit, which is not before the Court of Appeal, but still pending in Osogbo, nor did it declare the elections  of 2011 ‘null and void’ (as the PDP is misleading Nigerians).

    “ As you read this, the PDP has a live case before the Federal High Court in Osogbo where it seeks the court to pronounce Amb. Akeju incompetent (because he is allegedly partisan) to conduct the 2011 election. That case has been put on hold by the PDP itself and until the party reopens the case, and get a pronouncement of ‘guilty as charged’, against Akeju, the Osun REC remains innocent. What Akure court did was to strike out a defective notice which can still be refiled.

    “The substantive case in which the PDP is seeking a court’s (not the Electoral Tribunal) pronouncement that the legislative elections of 2011 were allegedly null and void, has been withdrawn at the Federal High Court,  Osogbo. So, an Appeal Court cannot make a pronouncement on a matter that has not even  been heard or argued by the parties involved, at the High Court.

    “This completely exposes the stupidity of PDP’s claims that, by any warped implication, the Friday’s pronouncement by the Federal Court of Appeal in Akure has any direct or indirect bearing on the substantive case in Osogbo. The case is yet to be determined by the Federal High Court.”

    The APC therefore appealed to the public and the media “to be wary of information coming from the PDP and cross-check facts before arriving at conclusions or disseminating fallacies, which Osun PDP has become notorious of spreading.”

  • Group urges youths to shun election violence

    A youth organisation under the aegis of ZEPUO, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has advised youths across the country to shun electoral violence. They have also been urged to be change agents in the country’s electoral process.

    Speaking at Okpuala Ngwa in Isiala North Local Government Area, founder and President-General of the group, Mr. Uche Ike said though the group is a non-political organisation, it aims at teaching the members to avoid being used to scuttle electoral process during and after the general elections.

    Ike said the group seeks to expand the political frontiers of the youth with the aim of making them key into the programmes of the ruling party. He added that while doing that, they should not allow themselves to be used as political thugs during elections.

    He said the youth are also advised to key into the Federal Government’s youth programmes such as U-Win, saying that the administration of President Jonathan has given youths of the country the necessary tools to express themselves. He opined that the only way youths could benefit from the programmes is to access the funds.

    He further said the organisation preaches against snatching of ballot box and political violence during elections. He regretted that politicians do not allow their children to come out during elections, let alone getting involved in any political

    He explained that youths in the area are being empowered both economically and politically by encouraging them to participate actively in politics and vie for elective positions.

    “But when they are not able to win any election, they should be willing to serve

    in any capacity they may find themselves in any arm of government after the elections,” he said.

    Noting that President Goodluck Jonathan has worked hard to empower youths of the country, the group revealed that it supports President Jonathan’s ambition for a second term, even as it urges Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji to represent the people of Abia Central Senatorial zone at the Senate.

    “President Jonathan has demonstrated a strong commitment to empower the youth through the U-Win programme and liberalising the power sector through genuine reforms, among other things that will help in empowering the youth,” he said.

    Ike further said: “The Alaoji Power Plant in Aba will help to engage the youth and when they are gainfully employed, there will be no youth restiveness thus the economy of the state will improve when they start paying their taxes.”

    The group is also supporting the zoning of the governorship seat by the Abia State caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Abia South, saying it demonstrates equity, fair play and justice as it will make every components of the state to have a shot at governorship position of the state.

    Encouraging Governor Orji to represent his people at the Senate, he said he has empowered the youth through the introduction of various schemes such as provision of cars for taxis, training them in vocational skills and granting them soft loans to start businesses of their own after receiving training. He added that no other governor has been able to achieve these since the creation of the state.

    Ike noted that the governor has made the youth have a sense of belonging, even as he urged them to make good use of the empowerment tools to better their lives. “Because of his good works, we urge the governor to take his good works to the next level by representing the people of Abia Central at the Senate,” he said.

    Mr. Ike expressed the view that the principle of power shift in Abia has been in existence since the creation of the state, adding that the founding fathers made it clear that power must rotate among the different components that make up the

    state for them to have a sense of belonging.

    Continuing, he said: “The power shift with regard to governorship position is accurate as the former governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu who governed the state for eight years hails from Abia North while Governor Orji is from Abia Central. So, it will only be right just for Abia South to produce the next governor .”

     

     

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    The organisation preaches against snatching of ballot box and political violence during elections. He regretted that politicians do not allow their children to come out during elections, let alone getting involved in any political violence…Youths in the area are being empowered both economically and politically by encouraging them to participate actively in politics and vie for elective positions

     

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  • Afghan election commission to reveal results today

    Afghanistan’s election commission will announce long-delayed final results in the bitterly disputed presidential vote today, whether or not the rival candidates claiming victory reach a power-sharing deal, a spokesman said yesterday.

    Two months of crisis over the election to replace President Hamid Karzai have further destabilized violence-plagued Afghanistan as foreign troops prepare to withdraw at year’s end, leaving Afghan forces to fight the Taliban insurgency.

    The rival candidates – former finance minister Ashraf Ghani and ex-foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah – were meeting yesterday. Aides said they were close to finalizing a deal but an Abdullah spokesman threatened to pull out of the talks if the poll results were released before an agreement.

    Preliminary results released in July showed Ghani in the lead with 56 percent of the vote.

    The early results prompted street protests from supporters of Abdullah, who charged massive fraud and said he was the rightful winner.

    Final results have been delayed for weeks by a U.N.-monitored audit of all 8 million ballots cast in the June 14 run-off vote between Ghani and Abdullah, the top finishers of the first round in April.

    However Independent Election Commission spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor said the body is legally bound to release results now that all technical details have been completed.

    “It is clear that tomorrow the IEC will announce the final results based on the 100 percent audit,” Noor said.

  • NBA election: Why reforms must succeed

    NBA election: Why reforms must succeed

    Mr. Ogochukwu Joseph Okeke is the immediate past chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Nnewi Branch in Anambra State. He was Chairman, Security Committee of the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP) of the NBA Annual General Conference held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, last month. He speaks on lawyers’ expectations of the Augustine Alegeh-led executive and national security, among others, in this interview with Legal Editor, JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU.

    As a former branch chairman, what do you consider as the greatest challenge in branch administration?

    Basically, assuming office, a lot of people and members will feel that there are some economic gains to be made. But actually there are none because you  basically accept a position of leadership, a position where all you need to do is to protect the interest of your members. So, it is a question of selfless service to the people  and the Bar. And when there is an issue in  the branch, you begin to run from here to there and from pillar to post. You attend to branch meetings, National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings and  your private business will always suffer. But because you are at the helm of affairs at the branch you don’t have an option other than show leadership. It has nothing to do with economic gains, but a lot of people don’t see it that way. For me that is  one of the problems you normally have with members who do not understand the actual workings of the leadership of the Bar.

    You were actively involved  in electoral campaigns at the last  NBA elections, how do you think the cost of running NBA elections especially, the office of NBA President can be reduced?

    I hold this view that the most difficult election to run in Nigeria today is the office of NBA President. I say so because once you aspire to be the President of the NBA you must traverse the nooks and crannies of this country. You must traverse the entire Nigeria, not just visiting the state capitals. Let me use the campaigns for the election of Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) as NBA President as an example. Compare and  contrast it with that of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    President Goodluck Jonathan would hold his campaign rally in Awka for example, where everybody would come and listen to him. He would also hold one in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State where everybody would also come. So also he would have it in Kano, where everybody would come. But an NBA Presidential aspirant who just comes to Awka branch of the NBA and stops there  will definitely have problems.

    Why?

    In Anambra State for instance, you have  seven  branches, he  would have to go Awka , Nnewi, Aniocha, Ihiala, Aguata,  Idemmili and Onitsha branches.  That means he has seven branches to visit within the state. He is not going  to call them collectively to Awka and say, look, gentlemen, I want to see all of you in Awka because  if he does that the man in Aguata will feel slighted and ask, why will you invite me to Awka when I can also host Awka in Aguata? So, you find out that the NBA Presidential aspirant traverses the entire NBA branches in the federation if he is serious about winning the election.

    I commendAugustine Alegeh for successfully carrying out this difficult assignment. At times the President sits in Abuja and may not know what is happening in distant branches like Isiokpo. When issues of Isiokpo branch comes up, he wouldn’t know where it is. He just knows that it is in Rivers State or Ungogo branch in Kano State.

    What are your expectations from the new executives, given the contents of the President’s inaugural speech  concerning electoral reforms in the NBA?

    My expectations are very high indeed, I have always known our President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), as a man of his words. I sincerely believed in his manifesto during the campaigns. I f you recall, during the campaigns, he was called a stranger to the Bar. So, I always teased him whenever he wanted to do something like a stranger to show that he was not an orthodox NBA politician bound by the way others had done it. This is a new revolution and you can see it manifested in his inauguration speech. He has made a lot of changes within the short time and by time he spends two years in office, the NBA is going to see a complete revolution to the advantage of the members of the Bar.

    Given the lack lustre performance of the immediate past regime of the NBA, with the alienation of  lawyers from the NBA, how do you think the new administration can connect lawyers back to the association with maximum benefit to Nigerian lawyers?

    Well, the President would always say that the Okada riders have a union and the first reason for their coming together is their welfare. If one of them dies, there is a contribution made by other Okada riders within the association to ensure that the body is sent home. What has the NBA done for its members? Practicing fees are expectedly  paid by every lawyer, and a lawyer in Lagos, who probably has the advantage of charging high fees, pays the same fees with those practising in another state where he may not have the advantage charging such fees. But at the end of the day, nobody gets the benefits for actually paying those fees. With the insurance scheme introduced by Augustine  Alegeh (SAN), we are for once, going to have something in return for the practicing fees being paid by  lawyers. That is a plus for us. That is wonderful and it is the kind of thing we expect from our association as members.

    There was not a single  incident   of insecurity at the venue  of the just concluded Annual General Conference of the NBA  in Owerri,  Imo State.  As the chairman of the security committee, what was the secret?

    Well, the first secret I may tell you is that my father is a retired police officer. By virtue of that natural training, I think I have that in-built capacity to be a security man. Again, as a lawyer, you are trained in almost all areas. I was able to adapt a couple of things I  have known to  the situation. Unlike the Calabar Conference,  this one was more difficult because of the diverse venues and the long distance. The security men were able to sit down together. We were able to have joint security sessions and mapped out operational programmes. It was great working with the Police. It was also great working with the State Security Service (SSS). There was a great understanding, even at the very short notice they were able to respond rapidly. The Civil Defence was also brilliant, Imo State government civil guards were also fantastic with the control of traffic. We all worked together. So, it was not a single individual effort. I also praise my fellow committee members, who also ensured that it was a success, although the major venue, the Imo State International Conference Centre,  was porous because there was not any fence.  There are a lot of entrances into the place,  yet  we were able to provide maximum security for the conferees. At some point, we used police dogs to ensure that people  entered the venue through designated points.

    The NBA President, Alegeh, announced in his inaugural speech that one of his major focus is to reform the association electoral process, to  begin the e-voting experiment from the branches, seek the amendment  of its constitution before the next  election in 2016. What is your reaction to this?

    It is, indeed, a wonderful development in view of the fact that it is extremely difficult to contest for the office of the NBA President. Remember, what I said before about traversing the entire 109 branches of the association in the name of campaign, then you will appreciate the fact that e-voting is an absolute solution if done well.

    Why do you hold this view?

    This is because it will cover a lot of risks of travelling, the money involved and all the risks involved. It will be a wonderful development and if we start with the branches,  by 2016 when another election will come, almost everybody will be used to the system. And as lawyers, we would be able to lead the society in this kind of reforms.  We shouldn’t be going backwards.  If  electoral reforms come from us,  then the larger  society and other organisations will learn from us. If all these other organisations are able to  learn from what the NBA has successfully done, then Nigeria will be a better place.

    You were named a member of the select committee by the President in his inauguration speech, how do you feel about it and what do you think is the reason for setting up of such a committee?

    Well, I respect the NBA President for recognising that I should be in that committee and for setting it up at this point in time. If I may go back to the reasons for this committee, over the years a lot of things have been done in the name of NBA appointments.  The leadership of the NBA had lost track of what was available to the NBA. Just  like  he said in his inaugural speech, there  are people, who have turned such positions into their private businesses. Those appointed more than 30 years ago are still there and the Federal Character issue comes into question andI think that it is part of what we will look at in the committee. If you have 10 committees for instance, and nine out of them are occupied by people from one state of the Federation, that is not fair at all to other parts of the country, or nine of such from one particular branch. A branch that calls  itself a big branch for that matter while the rural branches will actually get nothing yet practicing fees are being paid across board, equally.

    The President announced a significant reduction in conference fees during his tenure, how do you think this will impact the conferences  positively?

    Yes the President announced that there are a lot of corporate bodies that are willing to sponsor the NBA programmes, so it is really going to affect whatever conferences that may be run by the NBA any more. If these organisations have an understanding with the NBA and they are able to come up with good packages with respect to running the conferences, I don’t  think that these reduction in conference fees will be an obligation on the part of members.

    As a member of the Augustine Alegeh campaign organisation, what do you feel about his inauguration, his inaugural speech and his  agenda?

    Well, people had always called the President a stranger at the Bar and I believe that this stranger will do what the son can never do. I believe that he will do what the lantern can do that the sun can never do, which is shining at night. Alegeh will shine, the NBA will shine, Nigerian lawyers will shine  and Nigeria will be a better place with this administration.

  • Journalists undergo training on election coverage

    Journalists undergo training on election coverage

    The Nigeria Press Council (NPC), in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and international donor partners, has organised training for journalists in the Northeastern  on the coverage of the 2015 general elections.

    The journalists and others from the academia and government agencies from the six states in the geo-political zone converged on Bauchi to share ideas about electoral reporting. The theme of the seminar was “Ethical conduct and effective coverage of the 2015 general elections by the Media”.

    The training, which was put together by the Nigeria Press Council (NPC), was supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), UKaid, Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA).

    In attendance were 66 participants drawn from  Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe as well as federal and state government officials and the academia.

    Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, urged the media to ensure adequate coverage of election activities beginning with the politicians to the commission.

    He regretted that INEC is one organisation, that has been misunderstood by Nigerians, adding that the commission deserves more commendation than the accusations it receives from Nigerians.

    He said: “If there is any industry today in Nigeria that is highly misunderstood, it is INEC and we need to go beyond misunderstanding to the level of appreciation. People talk about Ekiti and Osun elections as if we had never conducted elections as good as those ones.” Represented by the Director of Voter Education, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, the INEC chairman said the commission did not do anything new in Ekiti or Osun states, stressing that the presence of security operatives only made the people to obey the law and respect the system.

    Jega confirmed: “These two elections are being discussed as the best elections because of the security presence and the fact that the people respected the system. We didn’t do anything different than what we have been doing. But this time around, the security presence made the people to respect the system.

    “Nigerians takes pleasure in breaking the laws. People have to understand that election is water, hospital, road and agriculture. People have to assist INEC to work fine and not to stand by the side and condemn. Everybody should be involved.

    “Election is everybody’s business and if we don’t see it that way, you will come to see it through water, roads and any other means of livelihood. The elite must come to the aid of INEC by partnering with the commission, believing that is your own project and without, it cannot succeed.”

    He challenged Nigerians to be part of election processes at all levels, even if they are active or non-active politicians so as to effect the desired change.

    He said:  “INEC’s business is everybody’s business and the elite must bridge the gap between the non-elite.

    “It took Americans 200 years to get to where they are today. Nigerians have the best brains in the world but Nigerians would have to help INEC in order not to take us 200 years to put the country’s democracy in shape even though, ‘our democracy is just 16 years.’”

    The Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Nnamdi Njemanze, urged the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), government, security operatives and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to do everything possible to protect journalists during elections, especially in the troubled northeast geo-political zone.

    He urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the Electoral Act as well as the ethics of journalism profession if they must effectively educate the electorate on things that are expected of them during campaigns, elections and holding government officials accountable.

    Chairman of the Bauchi State Council of NUJ, Comrade Garba Mohammed Dahiru advised journalists to work hard to ensure the sustainability of the country’s democracy which they fought for, adding that the constitution has empowered the media to monitor government’s policies and programmes and report to the masses to make their decisions on the government.

    Dahiru solicited support for INEC and other donor agencies and non-governmental organisation in the training of journalists, especially those in the Northeast region on special tips for reporting election in view of the security challenges in the region.

    In a communiqué at the end of the training, participants agreed that the media have so far not been sufficiently critical in analysing the various campaign promises of parties and their candidates. They also agreed that some media professionals project subjective political biases as objective critical analyses.

    They lamented that certain mindsets about power and politics; the role of the state on society, ethnicity, religion and political succession oftentimes cloud journalists’ judgments in their reportage; while most media organisations jettison the provision of the Broadcasting Code as well as those of the professional Code of Ethic for journalists.

    They also agreed that the media has been found wanting in the screening of the electoral process, while the rural areas have been largely marginalised and have not had adequate media coverage. They also agreed that the mass media can meet its expected role of sustaining the electoral process with the provision of substantial resources and with changes in key areas.

    However, the situation is that media platforms, such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) need to be strengthened to be more vibrant.

    They recommended the repositioning of the Nigeria Press Council to enable it to execute its crucial role of providing information that would enhance public knowledge about the electoral process so that voters can make informed decisions; journalists should adopt the proactive measures of self-censorship and utilise the best defence of reporting accurately, impartially and responsibly.

    They also recommended that the mass media confers on voters their status as partakers in decision-making structures by participating in elections. Journalists should therefore, establish cohesive partnership with INEC to ensure appropriate election coverage and mutual dissemination of information that would aid the process rather than denigrate it.

  • An election that never was

    The election of the Nigerian Universities Accounting Students Association (NUASA), University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapter, ended in a fiasco when a student was caught for alleged multiple voting. STANLEY UCHEGBU (Accountancy) reports.

    Probity and accountability are values students of Accounting should promote. But the University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapter of the Nigerian Universities Accounting Students Association (NUASA) election fell short of these values.

    The manipulation of the exercise led alleged to its abrupt end, almost immediately after it started. The election was held at the 25,000-capacity Hogan Bassey Pavilion.

    The exercise started peacefully.  The accreditation of voters was smooth.

    Before the day of the election, candidates ran elaborate campaigns to woo their colleagues. There was also a manifesto day, where the aspirants explained their programmes for students.

    On the election day, students besieged the pavilion. The election monitor team included officials of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) led by the president, Bassey Eka. Faculty of Management Students’ Association (FAMSA) president John Eso and members of the association were also there to observe the exercise.

    After accreditation, the election started at 3pm and went on smoothly until a student came to vote.

    The student was seen dropping more than one ballot papers into the ballot box. A poll agent, who saw him, drew the attention of the electoral umpire to the development.

    When he noticed he had been caught, the student, it was gathered, took to his heels; many students ran after him. This resulted in chaos and some students took advantage of the situation to stuff the ballot boxes with unauthorised ballot papers. Some went away with some ballot boxes.

    Students alleged that there was an attempt to rig the election in favour of a candidate. They demanded cancellation of the election.

    Addressing the aggrieved students, the chairman of NUASA Board of Trustees, Blaise Akpan, described the development as disturbing, wondering why students would engage in a “daylight malpractice”.

    The culprits, he said, would be identified and brought to book. Akpan, who is a graduate of the university, added that any candidate indicted by investigation would be recommended for disqualification.

    A candidate, who pleaded anonymity, fingered a staff adviser in the Accounting Department as being behind the manipulation. The staff, it was alleged, demanded certain royalty from all the aspirants before they could be allowed to contest in the election.

    A 300-Level student, who did not give his name, said the process that led to the election was riddled with corruption, noting that all the aspirants were asked to pay endorsement fees by members of the Board of Trustees.

    He said: “Apart from introducing ethnic politics into the process, the BOT extorted money from the aspirants. They were asked to give endorsement fee to BOT members and bottle of wine. I don’t know what these graduates are still doing in school.”

    At the time of this report, no date has been fixed for the election.