The Nation Newspaper

Tag: elections

  • Politics, elections and stability

    Let  me  start     on    the   premise that  politics  when  played  by the rules  and  done  legitimately  facilitates  good  and  fair  elections  which  ultimately  lead  to  political  stability and  a peaceful  environment. It    follows  therefore  that  in  talking  about  Nigeria’s  2015  elections  and  the state  of  tension    and   friction  bothering  on  hysteria    that   we are  in     right  now  this  premise  does  not  hold  water  in  our  nation. Which  means  my assignment  on this  score today is  to  highlight  events  and issues  that give  cause  for concern  in  our polity or  indeed  any  nation,  and  constitute  serious threat  to  an    environment’s, collective  existence,  security  and   peace      of   mind.

    The  first  cause of concern was the challenge purportedly  given by  Femi  Fani  Kayode, the  Goebbels of  the  ruling  PDP to  APC  flagbearer retired  General  Muhammadu  Buhari  on  his role  in the July  29  1966  countercoup  in  which  several  Ibo  military  officers including  former  Head  of state  then  General  Aguiyi  Ironsi  and the former  governor  of the West  Colonel Kunle  Fajuyi   were  killed . The  second  was  the advice  given  to the  incumbent  president by  his  host  the  Awujale  of  Ijebuland  when  he  visited  the  Oba  to  canvass  for  his  support. The  third  is  the     CNN  interview  of  Prince  Charles  the Prince  of  Wales  and  his wife  Camilla,  the  Duchess    and  my  interpretation  of  that in terms  of political  stability of  British  democracy which  is robust  but  is still  tied  to the apron  string  of  the British  monarchy.

    The  PDP  Director  of  Communications  spoke  in  Umuahia  the heart  land  of  Igbo  land  and  he was quoted  as saying that the APC   presidential  candidate had  his hand full  with  Ibo  blood during  the coup. So  Fani  Kayode’s  speech  was well  timed  in terms  of  context and  location  for  maximum  effect.  His  goal  was  to  invoke  painful  memories  of  the coup  against  the  North  which  Buhari  represents    and  provoke  the Ibos    to  vote  against  Buhari  and  the  APC.

    This  is an act  of  incitement with  no respect  for  the history  and stability  of  Nigeria . It  shows  clearly  that the  ruling  party  is ready  to  do anything to  retain  power.  Since  the PDP  has  not  renounced  the speech and published  statement,  it shows  that the party  has  endorsed  it  and  that is dangerous  for  the  security  and political  stability  of  Nigeria.  This  is  because  coups,  military  interventions and  countercoups  and  civil  wars  are not just  ordinary  politics and once  over  should not  be  politicized  or  made  the contents  of  political  campaigns  as  Fani  Kayode  has  done  so  recklessly  and  brazenly in  Umuahia.

    Such  episodes  in the  life  of a nation  are  like  revolutions  which  Mao  said  was  politics carried  on  by other  means  principally  violence.  It  is  crass  ignorance  on the  part   of  the  PDP  Campaign  spokesman not  to  know  how to  draw  a line  on what constitute a campaign  issue.  A  coup  such as the July  29  1966  coup is certainly  not  one  and  the  PDP  should  rein  in its  Director  of  Communications  before  he  sets  the nation ablaze again on  issues  that the  costly  civil  war  we fought  have put behind  us. As  things  stand we  have enough  on our plate with  Boko  Haram  and  the conduct  of a free and fair 2015a election  without the  costly  distraction  of  the  recall   of  a    bitter  past by  a desperate  and  overzealous politician   with  no  sense  of  history and patriotism,  who  is just  eager  to  get  public   attention,  no  matter  how the way  he  does  it  affects  the stability  and  peace  of  our political  system and  polity.

    The  second  issue  was  the advice  given  by  the Awujale  to  President  Goodluck  Jonathan when  he  went to  his  palace  to campaign. The  Ijebu  monarch  told  his visitor  that it is not the duty  of an Oba  to  tell  his people  who  to  vote for. This  he said is the  right  thing not  only in Ijebuland  but in Yorubaland  generally. The  Oba  said  the duty  of an Oba  is  to guide  his  people  to  make a choice  so that they  don’t vote in those  he called  looters.  He  said  he has  called  in people  from  all  walks  of  life  in his  domain  to listen  to  the visitor  and  make  a choice and  the visitor  then  catalogued  his achievements  as usual.

    What  the  Awujale has  done   is  to  set the  enabling  environment  for  a  jus political  participation in a modern democracy   even  though  he  is  a traditional  ruler.  He  has  induced  the  spirit  of  merit and  impartiality in  both  his  subjects  and his  visitor in  one  swoop. He  has  killed  two  birds  with  one stone  in  the  process. He  has  fused  innovation  with tradition  and turned  it  into  modernity. He  has  taught  his  august  visitor  and  his powerful  entourage the political  virtues of  fairness, choice, accountability and  transparency  just with a single  campaign  visit  from  the president of the nation  on his  busy  campaign  schedule. The  Awujale’s  contribution  and  advice  should   strengthen  our political  system  and  our collective  security. Other  traditional  rulers     in    this   nation should  emulate  his sense  of fairness  and state  building from the  conduct  of elections  and  social  mobilization.

    The  third  and  last  issue  may  sound  strange  and  far fetched but  it is relevant  and  apposite  in terms  of our  topic  of  today. I  have  seen  the interview  of Prince  Charles and  his wife  Camilla on  CNN this week  and  I just could  not  resist  hazarding a guess as to why  the sudden publicity for this  virtually  forgotten royal  couple especially  as  the Jubilee Celebrations  and Royal  wedding  have  fuelled  rumours  that the  couple  or  Charles  in  particular  will  not ascend the British throne  because they were  tainted  with divorce.  I  personally  have never  agreed  with such thinking and look  forward  to seeing the day the present Prince  of Wales  will  succeed his  mother  as  King  of  England  and Camilla  as  his  Queen according  to  the British  Constitution. This  is because  of  my  colonial  experience as a youth  impressed  by the royal  family  early in life. Indeed it is what is commonly called Colonial  mentality which  I really am not bothered  about.  But  I am  impressed  with the way the  wily  British  are  preparing  the public  mind for an abdication  by the Queen  paving the way  for his  ageing  son to succeed her. It  is the fashion  nowadays as recently done  by the monarchs  in Spain  and Sweden  recently.

    Again,  I  must  end with my  favorite  quotation on British  political  stability  when ever  I  discuss  the  British  political  system.  It is  that –  ‘With  the Queen  in  Buckingham  Palace  every  Briton  sleeps well  in his bed. ‘With  the Charles  and  Camilla interview shown  globally  this week  you  must prepare  to  substitute   King  for  Queen  in  that quotation   very  soon  as I  believe  that was the purpose  of  all that  brouhaha  on Charles and  Camilla on CNN this week.

  • No to military involvement in 2015 elections

    No to military involvement in 2015 elections

    The debate over the deployment of troops for the general elections has refused to go away. It almost snowballed into fisticuffs between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House of Representatives. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI examines the issues involved and their implications for the general elections.  

    The alleged role of the military in the June 21, 2014 Ekiti governorship election has sparked a debate over the legality, desirability or otherwise of deploying troops to keep peace during the general elections. In spite of the recent Court of Appeal judgment against the deployment of troops for elections, indications are that President Goodluck Jonathan might order the deployment of soldiers for the March 28 and April 11 elections. The Court of Appeal, in deciding the Ekiti election petition, ruled that it is illegal to deploy soldiers for election duties. The judgment validated the decision of a Sokoto High Court that the military should play no direct role during elections.

    The military had always been involved in the conduct of elections in one way or the other. But, the testimony of an Army Captain who was part of the Ekiti assignment, Sagir Koli, on how the military was allegedly used to tamper with the process leading to the governorship election has introduced a new dimension to the role of the military in elections. Though the allegation is still being investigated, the revelation has implications for this year’s general elections.

    The fear of the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is that the military may be used to intimidate and arrest leading politicians opposed to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The APC is of the view that the ruling party may take advantage of the increasing insecurity in the country to set the stage for the full involvement of the military during the elections.

    Though the involvement of the military appears inevitable, given the security situation in parts of the country, there is a clamour for their role to be regulated. Aside from the alleged Ekiti rigging plot, the image of the military in Nigeria is not the very best at the moment, because of the role it played in the postponement of the general elections from February 14/February 28 to March 28/April 11, 2015. Service Chiefs were believed to have worked in tandem with the Presidency to get the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift the polls.

    This has diminished the little faith Nigerians had in the deployment of troops. Although INEC had its own inadequacies that may have marred the outcome of the election, its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had insisted that the commission was ready for the poll. Jega said: “A day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections.

    “This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our operations cannot be guaranteed and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast…”

    Prior to the Ekiti governorship poll, the Federal Government had deployed troops in 32 of the 36 states of the federation to check ‘security challenges’ or in ‘aid of civil authority.’ As the deployment of troops was spreading, the Nigeria Police, which is constitutionally empowered for internal security, has been missing in action.

    What are the merits for the deployment of troops for election? Following the debate generated over the matter, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the idea is in order, as long as it would not be deployed to participate in the election, but to protect sensitive materials used during the exercise.

    His words: “The military are not deployed to participate, however, because there are certain sensitive election materials to be protected, they would be available, especially in this era of Boko Haram. It is their duty to assist in keeping internal security. However, they won’t be at polling booths to whip people into line like the members of the Nigeria Police Force or the Civil Defence Corps. But, they (the military) should be available for immediate deployment.”

    The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, also backed the call for troops to take charge of security to ensure peace during the elections. Odinkalu is of the view that Nigeria is currently in a state of war, which justifies such action in line with the Geneva Convention Act.

    The Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, also believes that the role of the military in the sustenance of Nigeria’s fragile democracy, including reduction in poll roguery and brigandage, is commendable. Umeagbalasi said the do-or-die mentality of politicians leaves no room for another alternative. Indeed, he said the military’s security roles during polls in the past three years have drastically reduced violence as well as polls’ rigging. He added: “Over 300 citizens died in the 2011 pre-election violence as against 2015’s 60 recorded deaths till date excluding insurgency war casualties. The military’s security and surveillance of poll materials and personnel in recent times have added credibility to polls’ outcomes/results to the extent that most of the 1, 695 elective public office polls constitutionally conducted by INEC in Nigeria from 2011 were sustained and upheld by various polls’ tribunals in Nigeria.

    “It is also globally established that Nigeria is one of the countries noted in notoriety with turbulent and homicidal polls. Its political parties are recently christened as “most corrupt in the world”. While other social climes see public office polls as quest for aristocratic humanitarian services, political parties and actors/actresses in Nigeria see same as business enterprises and ethno-religious regimentation. In all these, the military appears to be the only neutral third party capable of providing last hope for Nigerians numbering over 170 million.

    “This is why the military institution must be supported by all and sundry at all times. So long as Nigeria’s polls remain turbulent and mercantile, the lives and liberties of Nigerians must be maximally entrusted in the hands of the country’s armed forces at all times without judicial, administrative and political excuses.”

    The heated debate for and against troops-for-poll almost snowballed into fisticuffs between members of the opposition and those of the ruling party in the House of Representatives last week.

    Be that as it may, INEC appears to believe that the military has a role to play in the general election. But, it is of the view that they should be restricted to designated checkpoints, to make sure people do not traffic arms, ammunition or engage in any conduct that could tamper with the electoral process. Due to the prevalence of insecurity in the country, the military has been part of the electioneering process in the last 16 years. But, it assumed an embarrassing proportion in the last 12 years. Before the Ekiti election, troops were restricted largely to highways leading to areas considered volatile, to make sure that arms are not moved from place-to-place during elections. But, they were physically present at polling stations, as well as collation centres during the June 21 polls.

    What does the law say? According to legal practitioners, the deployment of troops in “aid” of civil authority is legal and constitutional. But, such a deployment must be approved or regulated by the National Assembly.

    Observers are now accusing the President of deploying the military illegally to monitor the conduct of elections in the last couple of years. Besides approaching the National Assembly for Emergency Rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, there is no record to show that he has approached the legislature for legal instrument to deploy troops-for-poll in any part of the country. While the illegality persists nationwide, some judges have come out openly to deride the recourse to the abuse of the military for election duties.

    A former President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Umar Abdullahi, JCA (as he then was) in Buhari vs. Obasanjo (2005) I WRN 2000), said: “In spite of non-tolerant nature of our political class in this country, we should by all means try to keep armed personnel of whatever status or nature from being part and parcel of the election process. The civilian authorities should be left to conduct and carry out fully the electoral processes at all levels.

    On his part, another President of the Court of Appeal,  Hon. Justice Ayo Salami, JCA (as he then was) in Yusuf vs. Obasanjo (2005) 18 NWLR Part 956 p.96 said: “It is up to the Police to protect our nascent democracy and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarized.”

    In a courageous pronouncement on Monday, February 16, 2015, Hon. Justice Aboki, JCA, (Chairman, Ekiti State Governorship Election Appeal Tribunal), who was a bit worried by the roles of Armed Forces personnel during the Ekiti State Governorship Election, said: “Even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian Armed Forces to unleash them on peaceful citizenry who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.”

    “In the event of insurrection or insurgency, the call on the Armed Forces to restore order must be with approval of the National Assembly — as provided in sections 217(2) and 218(4 of the Constitution as amended.”

    Until the return to military rule in 1999, the police had always been in charge of providing security during elections. Notwithstanding a few challenges associated with the police during the 1962 crisis in the defunct Western Region and the ex-IGP Sunday Adewusi’s shoot-on-sight order in 1983 general election war between the NPN and the Unity Party of Nigeria, the police had performed fairly well. Most experts are of the opinion that if the police force is well-equipped, it should be able to provide security nationwide. The NPF has 332,756 policemen, 6,693 Traffic Wardens and 11,999 civilian workers in 3,756 police stations nationwide. The only challenge with the force is lack of funds. The Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, who was represented by his deputy in-charge of Logistics and Supplies, Mamman Tsafe told the Senate Committee on Police Affairs in Abuja during the week that out of the N56 billion overhead proposed by the police in 2014, only N8 billion was approved out of which N5 billion was released. He said the force required N24 billion for fuelling and maintaining its vehicles instead of N5 billion proposed. For capital budget, he said that of a proposed N218 billion, N7 billion was approved and only N3 billion was released.

    From the foregoing, the option available to President Jonathan is to approach the National Assembly for an enabling Act to make deployment of troops for election legal. Indeed, the APC, through its Director, Legal of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), has written a letter to the President on why the judgment of the Federal High Court should be respected to leave troops out of the March 28 and April 11 general election. The letter said in part: “Your Excellency, may I add this: the restraining phrase “… security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria” is all encompassing including absence of armed forces on the roads and streets on the election days and not discriminatory as to be limited to polling booths, as some may expediently want the public to believe.

    “I, therefore, request Your Excellency, to instruct the Service Chiefs and all relevant State officers to diligently comply with the orders of the Court by ensuring that the Armed Forces are never engaged in the security supervision of the forthcoming elections in any manner and in any part of Nigeria whatsoever. It is the statutory duty of the Nigerian Police Force to carry out this function without having the armed forces instill fear in the citizenry during the elections.”

  • Lecture for elections

    The Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), UNILORIN, has scheduled a public lecture to advocate for free elections on March 17.

    Director of the Centre, Dr. Mahfouz Adedimeji, said the lecture, themed: “Towards Peaceful Elections in 2015: The Roles of Stakeholders in Nigeria”, will be delivered by Prof. Danny McCain of the Department of Religion and Philosophy, University of Jos.

    The lecture which holds at the main auditorium of the university, is to be chaired by the pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ambali, is the Chief host, while the special guest of honour is his predecessor, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede.

    Dr Adedimeji said the lecture would involve political parties and their candidates, traditional rulers, religious leaders, students, the academia, media practitioners, civil society organisations, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), among others.

     

  • Elections beyond Jonathan, Buhari, says Presidency

    Elections beyond Jonathan, Buhari, says Presidency

    Is President Goodluck Jonathan afraid of an election?

    That was the question yesterday as one of his aides spoke on the March 28 poll.

    The poll, he said, is beyond the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    Speaking with reporters in Abuja, Senior Special Assistant to President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, said the elections are about the stability of the country.

    Urging the North to wait for the 2019 Presidency, he said when Jonathan completes his second term, the region would have what he described as an “unequivocal” and “indisputable” opportunity to rule for eight years.

    According to him, the Yoruba are no longer causing trouble because their son has been allowed to rule Nigeria for eight years.

    “Why can we not concede this remaining four years?” he queried.

    He also said the North had always been the Nigeria’s political stabilising group.

    Said Okupe: “The North, since independence, has been the political stabilising group in this country. The North is far more advanced than any section of this country in terms of politics and political leadership. When MKO died and civilian politics was brought back for us to vote, the North sat down and met and decided that because of the injustice done to the Yoruba people, the Yoruba must present the next president at that time.”

    “And they called this nation to accept and buy into a national consensus to patronise Yoruba people. And that had a salutary effect on the political stability of this country. That is the role the North has always played in the politics of Nigeria.”

    “The consideration and implication of the 2015 general elections for this country go beyond Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.  It is beyond both of them. It is about stability of this country. And both the North and the South have always given concessionary consideration to each other. When we went for independence, the North was not ready; the South waited.”

    “In 1958, the colonial masters had agreed to give Nigeria independence, but the North said they were not ready. Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and other southern leadership conceded. They agreed and said they would wait for their brothers.  So, we did not start the concession for peace just now.”

    “We have always tried to balance the polity and not create problems in this country. Now, Goodluck Jonathan comes from an area that, in perpetuity, has always been the strongest ally of the North.”

  • How to rig elections

    SIR: As Nigerians go to the polls, it is pertinent for us to probe deeply into the election process, its strengths and weaknesses. As an active participant in previous elections, it is duty for me to ask the right questions, so as to prevent mistakes of the past.

    Election rigging has been a tradition in our elections, from the First Republic till date. It is a refuge for politicians and has acquired its own vocabulary and different procedures, from ballot box stuffing, ballot box snatching, and industrial thumb printing with the aid of palm kernels, result sheet manipulation and others. But the introduction of technology by INEC has put paid to this era of election fraud but our bosses need results and we have to apply the hallowed maxim of “Cunning man Die, Cunning Man Bury am” – the former “Cunning man” being INEC and the later us.

    With the introduction of Permanent Voters Card and card readers, it would seem our rigging days are over, but closer examination would show that we have also advanced in technological rigging. Inside the Voter Database are many multiple voters. My polling unit alone has at least four people with double registration and thus double PVCs which have been collected. Other nearby Polling Units also have same predicaments, which casts doubts on the screening system of INEC. This also means our double registrants are already recognized by the card reader so when others are shouting “one man, one vote” our people would be whispering ”one man, two votes” one woman, three votes”.

    Our newest scheme is voter suppression, learned from USA and perfected by us. This involves hoarding or misplacement, misdirection of Voter Cards; 600,000 PVC belonging to Cross River found  in Kebbi; 600,000 PVC belonging to no one found in Ogun. A more effective option is to compromise INEC ad hoc staff to deny PVC to people with questionable political leanings.

    Election Day manipulations would be the icing on the cake. INEC’s directive on voter accreditation provides us a means of using bought PVC as the Senior Polling Officer has some discretion in overruling rejection by the Card reader. As for plans for the card reader, we know they operate via satellite or telecoms signals, such signals can become “Erratic” due to technical issues. For the result collation centres, what happens if in a polling unit of 600 voters, the card transmits 250 actual voters but the result show 500 votes? Would the results be cancelled or would percentages be used to determine the results? Can the ballot papers of accredited voters be identified? Probably not, so INEC might have to cancel some real votes and validate some of our votes. If INEC decides to cancel results from such polling units, what would be the reaction and we know INEC would want to release the results within a specific time frame.

    We hope all these issues would be resolved. We hope that such expectations are not misplaced.

    •Nwachukwu  Ugo,

    dongunno@yahoo.com

  • ‘Why I’m campaigning for peaceful elections ’

    ‘Why I’m campaigning for peaceful elections ’

    How do you combine  architecture with nation building?

    As a diplomat’s kid I was born in Washington D.C., in the United States of America.  However, I only have one passport  a Nigerian passport and that’s by choice! I believe my nation Nigeria will be GREAT and will be THE 8TH WONDER of the world – a WONDER TO BEHOLD!

    I went to Kent Academy, an American missionary primary school in Miango town, Plateau State. After which I continued my education at Federal Government Girls College Oyo, Oyo State. There after I studied Architecture at the University Of Lagos, Lagos State. I graduated in 1988. I have three degrees to my credit  two of which are higher degrees.

    For as far back as I can remember I have always loved Nigeria. Nigeria has held a special place in my heart. My parents told me that when they were preparing the family to come back to Nigeria from the U.S that I was so excited about coming home and they didn’t quite understand it then. I was just three years of age at the time. I have always had a GREAT DESIRE for a better Nigeria and a GREAT NEW NIGERIA! Over ten years ago I got tired of complaining about Nigeria and I decided to do something about it!

    I am a full-time novel nation builder, working to create a generational change in Nigeria through a paradigm shift in the minds of our youth.Just like an architect creates in his mind and designs buildings likewise a leadership architect creates and designs new mindsets. He creates a new way of thinking. The foundation of a building whether weak or strong is what makes the building to collapse or stand. Similarly the foundation for building a nation is the mind. It all starts in the mind and the way the citizens think about themselves and their nation. The citizens’ mindset will invariably determine whether a nation collapses or stands strong and become great.

    You have the word ‘PEACE’ inscribed in your hair;  is that about the peace advocacy for the elections?

    Yes, it is about the peace advocacy.  I am an architect, a leadership architect, creative leader, a nation builder, a patriot and I’m the author of the 2-in-1 book with titles ‘The 8th Wonder of the World, Made in Nigeria and the 8th Wonder of the World made in Naija’. I have many names, I’m known as the eighth wonder.

    The advocacy started when we did the ‘Peace motivational message songs’. But recently, we have done some other stuff like ‘the Walk for Peace’ organised by Mr Femi Dagunro. We walked from Ogudu roundabout to Ojota and back. We used that opportunity to engage the citizens of Nigeria, speaking in native languages to them, saying that we must not fight as peace must become the ultimate winner in the 2015 elections.

    2015 elections will come and go but what would be left of the electorate after March? Olaboludele Simoyan, an architect speaks on voting for peace in Nigeria in an interview with Blessing Olisa.

    You mentioned Mr Femi Dagunro, what part does he play in the advocacy for peace?

    He is another peace advocate who I recently met. We collaborated and I suggested this peace walk. He does the Ogudu Youth Empowerment for the youths there. He grew up in Ogudu area and that’s his way of giving back to the community in Ogudu.

    What is your motivation for the peaceful elections campaign?

    My motivation for the vote for peace campaign in Nigeria stems from three basic things. One, 21 years ago, the Rwandan Genocide took place, and if you look at the things that we are saying, they are the kind of things that were being said just before the genocide took place. They were calling themselves cockroaches, and that has been replicated in Nigeria. People were doing things with impunity then  and they are also doing that now; politicians are throwing inciting words at each other. And I’m saying we have to stop this movement in the direction of the genocide. They went through what we are seemingly experiencing now and it’s a lesson that we don’t have to go through what they went through. We must learn from their own experience.

    Two, my friend’s daughter served in Bauchi in 2011 and she was a victim of post election violence; they hacked her with a machete on the head and arm, and she lost 10 fellow youth corps members that they hacked to death. When her mother told me the story I said I would do something about it for all it’s worth. I didn’t have a clear idea on what I would do, but as this year’s elections came closer, seeing and hearing the inciting words of these politicians on themselves, I said I must do something and that’s how I started the Peace Advocacy in collaboration with Mr Femi Dagunro, a fellow peace advocate.

    What has the Peace Advocacy movement done so far?

    Well, the hairstyle is one thing. When I walk around Lagos and people stop and ask me about my hairstyle, I use that to engage them and say “we shouldn’t fight, this election must be peaceful, vote for who you want to vote for but if the person does not enter, vote in someone else but we must not fight.” I engage them in whatever language I can with the peace hairstyle.

    Also, Mr Dagunro designed T-shirts that we wore for the walk, I wear it to church. We’ve had a peace talk even at the Ogudu Youth Empowerment Centre before the walk.

    How can people become a part of this vote for peace movement in Nigeria?

    You could use the hastag #vote4peaceinnigeria campaign. You can also go and listen to the peace motivational songs on youtube, there’s one ‘I declare peace in Nigeria’, ‘I decree peace in Nigeria’, ‘It’s a new dawn’ and ‘Peace: You’re a winner’. You can also organise peace walks in your area, because what I am trying to encourage is citizen participation in everything we do in Nigeria.

    I’ll cite a typical example of something that happened recently in Nigeria: Dr Adadevoh, whom I refer to as Citizen Adadevoh because she exercised leadership at the citizen level, which enabled Governor Fashola and President Jonathan to do what they needed to do at the state and federal level. If she hadn’t done what she needed to do at the citizen level, it would have been difficult to do what was needed at the state and federal levels. I’m preaching citizen participation, do a 30-minute walk on a major road in your area, engage the citizens, make T-shirts, make stickers, have wristbands and wear those things on a regular basis so that there is a constant discussion on peace. We’re sending out a subtle yet strong message to our politicians, saying we want peace to be the ultimate winner in the 2015 elections. Nothing less, nothing more. After all said and done, that’s the message we want to send out to anyone involved in the coming elections.

    Did you write any of the peace advocacy songs on youtube?

    Yes, I wrote the songs but I got a professional singer to sing them. I sang a while back in something I did before, but I was advised to get a professional singer. And I got a professional singer that did a better job. I still did the motivational speaking in the song though. There’s music and a message.

    What is the central theme of this advocacy?

    The central theme is ‘Vote for Peace in Nigeria’.

    I was walking along Onipanu when two elderly women stopped me and asked about my hairstyle, I explained to them. They said all women should have hairstyles like this that show we are sending a message to our politicians, that we must stress the fact that women want peace. Because when things go wrong, women and children suffer the consequences just like in Rwanda. I totally agree with them because that’s the concept of the hairstyle. But it doesn’t stop there, whatever you can wear throughout this election period that emphasises peace like bracelets, T-shirts, stickers that can be given to people; we should just make sure that we saturate the atmosphere with a message of peace. So that when politicians hear, they know that Nigerians want peace. Negativity produces negativity and positivity produces positivity, a lot of inciting words have been used by our politicians and we need to counter those inciting words with a message of peace. That’s what ‘Vote for Peace in Nigeria’ is all about.

    Video: http://youtu.be/cLm53Nz4yrg

  • Group tasks youth on elections

    A group known as Alhaji Okoh Dauda Okekere Education Foundation (AODOEF) has urged Nigerian youth to participate actively in the forthcoming general elections coming up later this month.

    The group called on the youths to come out en-mass to vote for the candidates of their choice in the elections.

    Chairman of AODOEF, Mohammed K. Dauda, an engineer spoke this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital at a leadership summit organised by the National Congress of Nigerian Students (NACONS).

    The theme of the summit was: “Youth roles as agents of violence-free elections.”

    He added that the future of the youths is in their hands. They have the largest number in the population of Nigeria. They should come out enmass during the coming election to vote for the leaders of their choice.”

    Dauda said that Nigeria may continue to experience youth unrest if the issues of unemployment and improper funding of education are not addressed.

    He expressed concern over youth unrest and some criminal acts in some parts of the country, charging governments at all levels to provide employment opportunities for the youth and fund education adequately.

    Kameel who chaired the occasion, noted that if Nigerian youth are gainfully employed, there will be no time for them to carry out any criminal act.

    “The quality of education is poor. Governments need to act fast to tackle the challenges and improve on it. They should pay attention to the education sector and try as much as possible to reduce the number of private schools, build teachers’ schools. In short they should take total ownership of education. They should provide employment for the youth to curb violence,” he said.

    He described the programme as a mark of fulfilling their role of impacting on the society.

    “They are not preaching cultism. They are not preaching violence. They are only trying to make the society better place to live in and they want people to realize and learn through them what their positive role is during the coming general elections”, he noted.

  • ‘Elections must hold’

    ‘Elections must hold’

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Mr. Dipo Okeyomi has lamented that that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has lost its independence.

    He urged its Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to redeem the image of the agency by resisting pressures from the government and the ruling party.

    Urging the commission to conduct the polls as re-scheduled, Okeyomi said the current assignment has implications for Jega’s public service career.

    He lamented that that the elections were shifted because the President knew that he would lose.

    Okeyomi said the election was postponed because of the grand conspiracy between the government and security chiefs.

    He added: “How can the NSA and service chiefs be dictating to INEC?  What is happening in Nigeria can never happen in the United States of America and other developed democracies.”

    Okeyomi predicted success for the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at the poll.

    He said the General has better plans for the country, urging Nigerians to vote for him.

    The politician said, if elected, Buhari will replicate the achievements of APC governors at the centre.-

  • Reflections on postponement of the elections

    On February 7, Professor Attahiru Jega, chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the postponement of the elections from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11, largely for security. The postponement is a glaring sign of incompetence or inability of the country to do anything good most of the times- a big shame and disappointment.  The cost is high. It shocked society, sagged trust, confidence and energy of citizens, threatened democracy, boosted the morale of the insurgents and increased the already high emotional and physical exhaustion and financial expenses of the campaign.

    Jega would want us believe that INEC was not ‘coerced’ but the public knows better that there are long knives around. It was the best he could do in the circumstance because as the great Zik once observed ‘only a mad man argues with the man with a gun’.

    Ordinarily the postponement could have been taken as given. After all the framers of the constitution and makers of the electoral made provision for postponement in sections 76(2),116(2), 132(2), 178(2) and section25 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. As Jega admits the period could be used to fine-tune some of INEC’s operations especially the distribution of the PVC.  But we are worried because of the threat which the postponement poses to democracy, its high cost in terms of emotional strains, physical exhaustion, financial wastage and general paralysis that attends campaigns in Nigeria, the broken trust between the people and government, the subtle attempt to meddle unduly with the electoral process and the damage to the image of the military.

    The growing involvement of the military in party politics suggests that democracy is under threat and trial in Nigeria. The postponement carries the traits of a well rehearsed drama: a hint to test the waters in London, some denials at home,  a passing remark before a visiting  US Secretary of State John Kerry, orchestrated demand for postponement by some parties, a  presentation at the National Council of States , an ‘advisory’ letter by the service chiefs asking for at least six weeks extension etc. All these are too neat and frightening to ignore and they tell much about our inability to do the needful most of the time.  Jega was on the right way before he met security road block.

    Though President Jonathan in a recent media chat assured that democracy was on course and come May 29, a new government  either headed by him or any other person would be in place yet the assurance has not dispelled the fear of interim government, rumour  of impending replacement of Jega and the looming threat democracy. There is the need to build trust and confidence in the system. Jega should not be sacked because the service chiefs did not allow him to work freely. Dr Jonathan is a product of democracy with its emphasis on the constitution and rule of law which ensured the election of a person from the minority zone as president of the country and he has the responsibility to protect and deepen it so that the baton will not drop in his time.

    Unfortunately in every society many things are done in the name of the king – some of them unclean and unauthorized and there are men and women ready to violate the system under the pretence of supporting the leader. While INEC chairman had insisted on hosting the election as planned, the service chiefs and the NSA were against it. Jega confirmed  his commission’s impotence when he observed  that  INEC ‘being not…a security agency that could by itself guarantee protection for personnel and materials as well as voters cannot  lightly wave off the advice by the nation’s  security chiefs’ .  Their obstructive role was too visible to be cloaked easily.

    Many things are at stake including the fate of democracy, integrity and image of the military, the broken trust of the average citizen in the system occasioned by the increasing but avoidable meddling of the political process by the security chiefs.  Though better late than the late, yet it carried more harm than good for the armed forces and the society at large. What did the security chiefs expect the average citizen to do by their public show of inability- extol or resign themselves to fate knowing that there is no hope for protection from them?

    By their action, the service chiefs opened their flanks to both internal and external attacks and ridicule of the armed forces.  We are so far lucky that the barbarians have not taken advantage of the ugly situation. The service chief’s action creates doubt, fears, distrust and hatred in the minds of the citizens some of whom may decide to seek ways for personal security. The problem of the high incidence of militias is already frightening enough and woe betides us all when many more are formed by helpless but desperate Nigerians in search of security, safety and protection of lives and property.  Public trust and confidence have been badly shaken if not broken-unwittingly.

    Once trust is lost it is difficult to reclaim and this is one of the reasons that we should not allow any one including the military to break the trust patriotic Nigerians have in democracy. As Barbara Misztal observes in her work – Trust in Modern Society: ‘Trust makes social life predictable, creates a sense of community, makes it easier for people to work together and there is evidence to show strong positive correlation between ‘higher level of social trust’ and economic development. The point here is that Nigerians placed their trust on the security agencies for protection but when their service chiefs wrote to express inability to discharge that function, there was great cause for alarm and distrust.

    It is dangerous to tempt the military with power –more so in developing countries where it is said to stand as alternate party and in more advantaged position to capture power because of its possession of deadly weapons. This is what made some scholars to say that the appropriate question to ask is not whether the military can seize power any time, any place  but why they are not doing so in  mature democracies?  The secret is the presence of strong public opinion and respect for it. Unfortunately public opinion is still weak in Nigeria.

    The service chiefs must do self –examination to warm the security agencies to the public and win their trust and confidence. The political class must find ways to keep soldiers far away from party politics, find answers to some questions such as why the gallant forces yesterday have become the cowardly type of today booed by foreigners and loathed by many at home? Why are there mutinies and squealing today? Still the military can be made to protect democracy if the public sharpens its eyes and speaks with one voice against any false step towards power. It needs some help to help itself and safeguard our hard won democracy. It should be insulated from partisan politics.

    • Dr Abhuere FNIM, CCYD writes from Uromi, Edo State

  • Elections force shift of NIMAREX 2015 to April

    The Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) 2015 initially slated for next month has been shifted to April because of the coming elections.

    Organisers of the yearly event said the Expo would hold between April 27 and 29.

    Secretary of the Planning Committee Osuala Nwagbara said the postponement of the elections made it imperative to shift the expo.

    He said the expo would be heralded by a cocktail party on April 26 for indigenous and foreign dignitaries.

    The theme is: Nigeria: Regenerating economic growth through the maritime sector, stressing that the resources in the industry is enormous, but yet to be tapped.

    Nwagbara said this year’s edition is being organised to make the public and private sector know that the country can survive without the oil and gas industry. He maintained that the falling price of crude oil at the international market is a call to action for all.

    “For Nigeria to be a shipping nation and to meet with the requirement of the Cabotage Act as regards vessel ownership, it requires a functioning iron and steel industry which will be a focal point of the 2015 NIMAREX”, he said.

    The scribe added that it also considers other events that are ongoing internationally before choosing a new date, stressing that other countries of the world have their eyes on the Nigeria Maritime Expo 2015.

    Nwagbara noted that a viable maritime nation like Nigeria requires that ships should be built in the country, even as he argued that, there are laws existing to support building of ships.

    Citing relevant sections of the Cabotage Act, he said Section 5 of the Act makes it imperative for every vessel that must lift crude oil or petrol products within the Nigerian territorial waters must be owned by Nigerians.an engage over a million Nigerians if proper looked into.

    “China in 2010 employed 3.5 million people in the iron and steel sector and that number of persons is more that the population of Bayelsa and Nasarawa states put together.”

    “Now assuming Nigeria employs one half of what China employed in 2010, it means at least 1.5 million people will gain employment from a particular sector.

    “We are bringing the entire world together through NIMAREX 2015 as far as maritime and other

    He said the Cabotage Act requires that every vessel that operates within the Nigerian waters must be built in the country, crewed by indigenes of the country, registered in the country and must be owned by Nigerians.

    He pointed out that Nigeria is endowed with a huge potential in the iron and steel industry that c

    related industry are concerned, because we are inviting ship building companies to come over and locate ship building industry in Nigeria which means that ship building firms abroad would have to partner with Nigerians and establish ship building yards in the country”

    “We expect a partnership between entrepreneurs in the ship building industry and government to revitalise the iron and steel industry, so that materials for ship building will be sourced from the steel sector, thus form a viable iron and steel sector,” he said.