The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ELECTION

  • ‘Deployment of soldiers for election duties illegal’

    It is ultra-vires (outside) President Goodluck Jonathan’s powers to deploy solders during elections, a human rights group, One Voice, has said.

    In a statement by its media committee chairman Pastor Deji Adeleye, the group said the police is being undermined by the deployment of soldiers to maintain law and order during elections.

    “OneVOICE, acting in consultation with some of the best legal luminaries in the country, believe that it is illegal and ultra vires the part of President Jonathan to deploy the military to maintain law and order during elections.

    “It is incongruous with sections 215 and 217 of the Constitution which made it abundantly clear that the power of the President to deploy Armed Forces for internal security is limited to the suppression of insurrection, including insurgency and aiding the police to restore order when it has broken down.

    “The use of soldiers during elections is ill-advised. Instead, the police should have been strengthened to discharge the duty of ensuring internal security while the military is restricted to the defense of the Nation’s territorial integrity.

    “What militarisation does is to invoke fears on voters to make them not consider participating in the election thereby disenfranchising them,” One Voice said.

    The group said the coercive apparatus of the state constitutionally mandated to maintain law and order is the police, not the military or the Department of State Security (DSS) whose legal existence is unknown to any law in Nigeria, or masked persons.

    “Indeed, the duty of the military is to defend the territorial integrity of the country or quell insurrection in any section of the country where the Police has proved incapable of handling the situation.

    “ONEVOICE is, therefore, demanding a stop to the use of the military and DSS operatives in subsequent election including the 2015 general elections,” it said.

    The group also condemned the current gale of impeachments and attempted impeachments of state governors, saying: “The road to the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria is undoubtedly a tortuous one and we cannot afford to allow our democracy to come to peril.”

    The development, the group said, has grave implications on constitutionalism and the rule of law, especially as laid down constitutional rules are being violated and trampled upon with impunity.

    It added that unlike America where impeachment is the last resort when all other options had failed, the reverse is the case in Nigeria.

    “It is always the first option with the legislators threatening the president or state governor at will.  To date, only twice have the American congress impeached the President since 238 years ago that America gained independence.

    “Although no Nigerian President has been impeached, many State governors have been sacked through impeachment since 1999 under the present dispensation. Under the former President olusegun Obasanjo, two governors, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State were impeached.

    “Under President Jonathan, impeachment notices against many governors have become very rampant. Indeed, political watchers see this method as a subversion of the constitution which portends danger for the political stability of the country,” One Voice said.

  • INEC declares Niger East by-election inconclusive

    INEC declares Niger East by-election inconclusive

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday declared Saturday’s Niger East by-election inconclusive.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Wole Morenikeji, said there were alleged electoral malpractices and irregularities in seven units in four local governments.

    The units are in Rafi, Shiroro, Muyan and Paikoro local governments.

    Morenikeji said a supplementary poll would hold in the affected units on Saturday, before the final result of the poll could be announced.

    But details of the results declared so far, showed that the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, led with 89,634 votes, against David Umaru of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 84,689 votes.

    A breakdown of the result showed that the PDP candidate won in six of the nine local governments in the senatorial district.

    Confirming the development, INEC’s Head of Information in Niger State, Mohammed Waze, said until the supplementary election is held, the winner cannot be declared.

    Waze, who spoke on the phone, said: “The Niger East by-election is inconclusive. A supplementary poll will hold on Saturday so that a winner will emerge and the final result will be released.”

    The seat became vacant on June 12, following the death of Senator Dahiru Aweisu Kuta.

  • Ondo FA boss denounces NFF election

    Ondo FA boss denounces NFF election

    One of those purported to have been elected into the new board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) headed by Ambassador Chris Giwa, Otunba Dele Ajayi, has denied participating in the election held on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The Ondo State Football Association boss, in a press statement he personally signed said it was wrong to include him among those elected into the Executive board of the NFF when he never participated in the election.

    Ajayi said as somebody who believes in the rule of law and a signatory to the FIFA status guiding all elections matters, it would be wrong for him to have participated in what clearly was an illegality.

    “While I acknowledge the fact that I have a genuine desire to serve on the NFF board with a view of contributing my quota to the development of football in Nigeria, I use this medium to state clearly that my intentions are not fueled by any desperate aspiration.

    “I hereby state that I understand the statues guiding elections into the NFF and will not in any way flout those rules or support any individual or group of persons seen to have done so.

    “I did not participate in any purported election. I am still preparing for my election which I believe will come up in September 4 2014 as proposed by the NFF and approved by FIFA,” he said.

    Ajayi who also denied sending apology for not attending the meeting Ambassador Giwa had with the Minister called for peace and pledged his loyalty to the FIFA status guiding election matters and advised the congress members to disregard any purported apology from him for not attending the meeting.

  • Niger East by-election: APC plans to unleash thugs, alleges PDP

    Niger East by-election: APC plans to unleash thugs, alleges PDP

    •‘Ruling party guilty’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Niger State branch, accused yesterday the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plans  to unleash thugs on the electorate to disrupt Saturday’s Niger East by-election.

    The opposition party, however, said it was the ruling PDP, which engaged thugs since the start of the campaigns.

    APC alleged: “Thuggery is synonymous with PDP. The party has been using thugs to harass people because its candidate is unpopular.”

    The PDP Deputy Chairman, Tanko Beji, a lawyer, alleged in a statement in Minna yesterday that APC hired thugs from neighbouring states and gave them maps of the places to unleash terror in order to disrupt the election.

    He alleged that the  mission of the opposition party was “to cause confusion to either manipulate or frustrate the process.”

    The PDP chief decried the manner APC was going about the election, saying: “The planned action of the opposition party shows that it is far from being prepared for the next general elections.

    “The opposition in Niger State need to be schooled on the basic values of electoral practices. They have failed to realise that politics is not all about thuggery, blackmail or propaganda. Niger APC must understand that election is not a do-or-die affair.”

    APC Publicity Secretary Jonathan Vatsa dismissed the allegation, accusing PDP of being guilty of the allegation.

    He said APC members were law-abiding.

    “It is the ruling PDP that has money for thugs. Thuggery is synonymous with the party. It is only crying and accusing APC because its candidate is not popular. The noise is a face-saving device for the impending defeat on Saturday.

    “PDP has been using thugs to destroy the billboards of our candidate. The hoodlums are also tearing his posters. We have reported this to the security agents. The party is engaging thugs because it wants to force its unpopular candidate on the people.

    “PDP has tax payers’ money and it is using it as well as the local government funds for thuggery because its candidate is not popular,” Vatsa added.

  • Just before the Adamawa governorship election

    Just before the Adamawa governorship election

    October 17 would present another opportunity for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to show their strength and preparedness ahead of the 2015 elections. Prior to the removal of Admiral Murtala Nyako as governor of the state, both parties had been locked in argument with regards to which actually is dominant in the state and the region. How the question is answered by the electorate could give a glimpse into what to expect in the general elections next year.

    Nyako had been elected on the platform of the ruling federal party. He enjoyed the full backing of the Federal Government and had enough access to tangible and intangible resources needed to attain victory at the polls in this clime.

    By the time he elected, along with his colleagues in Kano, Sokoto, Kwara and Rivers, to defect to the APC last year, it had become difficult to decide who owned the land. Yes, Nyako was governor, but the PDP had commanding control of the state legislature. It was obvious that he had problem getting the crucial support of the mass of the people. So, the APC could not sit pretty in the state. Yet, it was clear that a loss of the state would mean that the party’s relevance in the North East region is exaggerated unless it is able to break new ground in days ahead.

    The PDP, too, realized that, with the enormous power and other resources available to an incumbent governor, APC could not be trusted with state authority in the run-up to the set of elections next year. It chose to act fast. A plot was hatched to impeach the governor. By last month, the deed was done and it left the field wide open, but with the scale tiled in PDP’s favour should they go to the poll as things stand today.

    The impeachment has brought forward the poll. Naturally, with Nyako deposed, the APC is still destabilized in the state. The governor insists that the removal was achieved in breach of section 188 of the Constitution and could be declared null and void by a law court. The legislature faults this, claiming all righteousness was fulfilled in achieving its objective. The Judiciary was involved as the panel that returned a “guilty verdict that got Nyako kicked out was set up by the Chief Judge whose responsibility it is to either hear or assign any case that might arise from the exercise. The earlier defection of General Buba Marwa and Mr. Boni Haruna, a former governor, had already weakened the APC in the state. The influence of Professor Jubril Aminu and former PDP national chair Bamanga Tukur cannot be fully discounted, either.

    However, less than 60 days to the election, the PDP is unsettled also. Nuhu Ribadu who was the presidential flag bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011 has been drafted by the powers that be to run for the governorship. This is displeasing and distressing to the likes of Marcus Gundiri, Umar Ardo, Marwa and Acting Governor Funtiri. They all have their eyes on the vacant seat and believe they deserve it more than any recent deserter from the APC.

    MARWA who was earlier a presidential aspirant in 2007 crossed over to the Congress for Progressive Change in an elusive bid to secure access to the Government House in Yola in 2011 and has been traversing the state to canvass votes following the return of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to the APC fold. He would do anything to resist Ribadu.

    Again, there is the Bala Ngilari angle. The former Nyako deputy has denied that he ever resigned. He therefore told the legislators who claimed they were in receipt of a resignation letter purportedly signed by him that he should simply be installed the governor. The case is already in court. Should Ngilari succeed, there would be no vacancy to be filled on October 17. But, with the justice mill grinding so slowly, could the judiciary step in early enough to stave off the by- election? What weight could Atiku still pull in the state in favour of the APC, realizing that an APC victory at the poll would boost his claim to the party’s presidential ticket? What would the national leadership of the APC do to restore the hope of the people in it as a messiah waiting in the wings?

    Adamawa State may not evoke the same image of power as Kaduna or Kano, but, this election is as important as any other given the development in the polity in the past few months.

  • NFF Elections: Pascal, Biambo disagree on election date

    NFF Elections: Pascal, Biambo disagree on election date

    The last is certainly not heard of the drama that is engulfing the electoral process into the next board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as a member of the electoral committee, and former Nigeria international Pascal Patrick has strongly disagreed with the stand of the chairman of the committee, Amoni Biambo.

    Pascal, who was only reinstated into the committee having been removed by the Mike Umeh led faction of the NFF, says the election can only be held in September, as proposed by the NFF, contrary to the stand of Biambo.

    Pascal said: “The elections can only be held in September as proposed by the NFF and will be ratified by the congress on Tuesday.

    “It is really baffling how the chairman of the committee will make a unilateral decision without members of his committee, it is not done.”

    Meanwhile, Amoni Biambo insists that the August 26 date remains sacrosanct for the elections to be held and rebuffed claims that FIFA is supporting the NFF’s position.

    “The way FIFA is being bandied around is really amusing to say the least. We as the electoral committee have written to FIFA informing them of the electoral process and also to the elective congress,” he said.

    “The date remains sacrosanct and nobody can change it because the NFF will have to give a thirty day notice to the congress for ratification before any change is effected and that hasn’t been done.”

    Biambo also alleged that the reason why the election is being postponed is down to corruption.

    “It bleeds my heart to see the amount of corruption in the system. But they have seen now that I cannot be turned and they are regretting why they made me chairman of the committee,” he added.

    There seems to be some sort of impasse as it regards the whole process and it remains to be seen what will happen on Tuesday, August 26.

  • Rollins Biambo roars: NFF election will hold August 26 unfailingly

    Rollins Biambo roars: NFF election will hold August 26 unfailingly

    • Clears Umeh, Odegbami
    • Maigari, Ogunjobi not cleared

    Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Electoral Committee headed by Amoni Rollins Biambo has dispelled the rumours going round that the August 26th, NFF elections will be shifted. He has said the elections will hold as planned at the same date and venue.

    The Chairman of the Committee, who addressed the press at the Bolton White Apartment, Zone 7, Abuja yesterday, said nothing would make his committee to shift the date of the election whether anybody likes it or not because of football sake.

    The five point communiqué read shortly after the parley with the sporting press which lasted for just 30 minutes and ended 6.10pm reads thus:

    “We also categorically state that August 26  still remains the proper date for the election. The date is sacrosanct as this date has been communicated to FIFA, CAF and WAFU. We are mindful of all internal wrangling amongst executive board members and the football family. The electoral committee as an unbiased umpire will do justice to the electoral process as entrenched in the electoral code to all concerned.

    “That the purported/rumoured extension of timetable in some quarters is false and not negotiable.

    As a committee that believes in fair play and respects the rule of law, we have taken into consideration all situations to conduct free, fair and credible elections.”

    Biambo, in the communiqué , also cleared NFF Vice President Mike Umeh and Segun Odegbami and added  Christopher Giwa that was initially cleared.There are now three persons cleared while Taiwo Ogunjobi was not cleared since his name was not mentioned.

    The incumbent NFF President, Aminu Maigari was said to have purchased a form but did not submit while Ogunjobi was said to be banned as at the time the forms were sold so he couldn’t obtain a form. Although he was later unbanned but the time for collection of forms has since elapsed which ruled him out of the race.

    “Having followed due process of 60 days period before the elections into the Executive committee, having collected/collated all nominations forms from various interested candidates, vying for different positions into the executive committee, having screened all candidates that submitted their nomination forms to the committee, including those  forms that were later collected cum-submitted within the grace period of extension.

    “Having published the list of provisionally qualified candidates for the election, having received  the report/recommendations of the electoral protests/appeal committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, we hereby categorically state that Mike Umeh and  Segun Odegbami are cleared to contest as President and member respectively”, it said.

    The communiqué also stressed that “as an independent electoral committee solely saddled with the responsibility of conducting an election into all arms of the federation as it is stipulated in the statutes of the federation, we have given all  interested candidates a free level playing ground in the executive committee election.”

  • APC flays LP of delaying Ondo by-election

    APC flays LP of delaying Ondo by-election

    Ondo State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Labour Party (LP)-led state government of playing politics with the destiny and the development of people of Odigbo Local Government Area.

    APC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, urged the House of Assembly’s Speaker, Princess Jumoke Akindele, to respect the constitution by declaring the seat of the late speaker, Samuel Adesina, vacant.

    Abayomi said: “There are complaints, petitions and protests as to why the Speaker and the House of Assembly refused to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the vacancy existing in Odigbo Constituency ll, to facilitate the conduct of the bye-election.

    The party noted that since the demise of the late Adesina, the government has not deemed it fit to fulfill its constitutional responsibility by declaring the seat vacant to avail the people an opportunity to have a replacement.

    The statement noted that the LP-led administration was afraid of losing the seat to the APC, because council area is a stronghold of the party.

    It said the state government is applying delay tactics to ensure that the election did not hold before the 2015 general elections.

    But the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Kunle Olujuyigbe, said the Assembly had concluded all arrangements to fill the vacant seat.

    Olujiyigbe said: “As far as the House of Assembly is concern, we have done what we are expected to do about the vacant seat and we have duly notified INEC. I think at the appropriate time, INEC will call for stakeholders’ meeting and tell us the next line of action”.

  • ‘Election a major problem in Nigeria’

    The political class said Nigeria’s problem since independence begun with flawed elections.

    They noted that the failure of the country to conduct free and fair elections led to various military take over.

    This, they agreed, marked the beginning of the country’s problem.

    They, however, failed to mention whether the electoral umpire or politicians was responsible for flawed elections in the country.

    But a former Presidential aspirant, Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, however, agreed that the struggle in handling the elections led to successive military takeovers.

    Iwuayanwu spoke in Abuja at a book launched titled: Jinx Breaker: The installation of a new political order in Nigeria.

    The book, which takes a look at the country’s electoral history and the contribution of a former Independent Electoral Commission Chairman, Dr. Maurice Iwu, was written by Elvis Ned Iwuajoku.

    Iwuanyawu said: “Any problem we have in Nigeria started with election. The entire crisis we had from independence been as a result of election.

    “Iwu inherited a very bad electoral process that was capable of destroying our democracy.”

    Also, a former governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu said even the Pope can’t guarantee free and fair elections.

    Prof. Iwu in his remark also said it was important to pen the country’s electoral history because Nigeria doesn’t take proper documentation of events.

    Iwu said the book was necessary for because it will help to sustain the country’s democracy.

    Iwu said: I don’t even have a sense for vindication because I work for the future. The present has never been my preoccupation. The future is mine.

  • Ijaw youths, group clash over Jonathan’s reelection

    Ijaw youths, group clash over Jonathan’s reelection

    Ijaw youths on Tuesday attacked a South-South group for advising President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve his reelection ambition in 2015.

    A group under the aegis of the Forum of Past Youth Leaders of Ethnic Nationalities in the South-South (FPYLENS) had reportedly asked Jonathan to abandon his ambition to return to Aso Rock in 2015.

    The forum was said to have given the admonition in a statement signed by Alhaji Mumakai Unagha and Ekpo Okon.

    But the forum’s position has drawn the ire of Jonathan’s kinsmen under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).

    The youths dismissed the forum saying the group and persons who signed “the provocative” statement were fictitious and unknown to major stakeholders of the region.

    The youths in a statement signed by their Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said the report was the handiwork of some inconsequential elements looking for recognition ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    “There is no organisation known as Forum of Past Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders in the South-South and the signatories are unknown persons as far as youth leadership in the South-South region is concern”, he said.

    He said after perusing the report, the leadership of the IYC consulted with its past leaders and presidents such as Dr. Felix Tuodolor, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, Mr. Jonjon Oyefia, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, Mr. Abiye, T. K. Ogoriba, and others to determine the veracity of the report.

    He said all the prominent leaders in the region said they were not part of the said meeting and that there was no such gathering.

    He reinstated the commitment of the South-South towards the reelection project of the President in 2015.

    He said: “The IYC is in total support of the Jonathan administration and states that the Jonathan 2015 Presidency is a project of the South-South people and the youths of the South-South are irrevocably committed to this project.

    “South-South youths are already mobilising towards the re-election of Dr. Jonathan in 2015 in synergy with other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

    “The IYC call on members of the public to disregard the statement purported to have been made by the inconsequential Past South-South Youth Leaders Forum as they do not have the support to organise any anti-Jonathan campaign in any part of the South-South Region”.