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Tag: fair

  • APC: we’ve taken steps to ensure free, fair poll

    APC: we’ve taken steps to ensure free, fair poll

    All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday it had taken steps to ensure that the candidates in the August 9 Osun State governorship election are provided with a level-playing field.

    It added that actions have also been taken to guarantee that the election is free, fair and transparent as well as devoid of harassment and intimidation.

    APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, spoke in a statement in Abuja yesterday.

    The statement said APC had challenged in court the powers of the President to deploy troops and that of the Inspector-General of Police to impose a curfew during the election.

    It also said the party had written to INEC to demand a postponement of the election if the electoral commission cannot guarantee that all registered voters would be given their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before voting day or in the alternative allow all registered members in possession of INEC temporary voter cards to vote.

    The actions, according to the party, were aimed at avoiding a repeat of the massive harassment, intimidation and arrest of opposition politicians witnessed at the Ekiti governorship election.

    It said the steps would also prevent any illegal lock down of Osun State, which turned out to be a ploy to pigeon-hole opposition politicians while allowing PDP members to move around freely.

    The party said the letter to INEC followed concerns expressed by APC members in Osun that they have so far been denied their PVCs under shady circumstances, a development that could be a ploy to massively disenfranchise APC members and rig the election at source

    The statement said: “In the first case filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos on July 15, 2014, we are seeking, among others, ‘a declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), it is ultra vires for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deploy members of the armed forces to Osun State for the purpose of the conduct of the gubernatorial election scheduled for August 9, 2014’.

    “In the second case, also filed at the same court on July 17, 2014,  we are seeking, among other reliefs, ‘a declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), and the Curfew Law of Osun State, CAP 36, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2001, it is ultra vires for the Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to impose curfew on any part of Osun State during the conduct of the gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on Aug. 9th, 2014, or at any time whatsoever in any part of Nigeria’.

    ‘’The actions have reinforced the credentials of our party as law-abiding and peaceful. Instead of resorting to self help, as many would have done in the face of the many underhand tactics by the PDP-led Federal Government to stifle the opposition and skew the conditions in favour of the ruling party, we decided to embark on a legal challenge of the unlawful actions of the government.

    ‘’We are not seeking any favour beyond that all candidates in the election be allowed to have a level-playing field, for all registered voters to be able to cast their votes in an atmosphere devoid of violence, harassment and intimidation, and for the election itself to be conducted in substantial compliance with the law.”

    APC said popular participation is at the core of democratic governance, hence a development in which registered voters, most of them from the opposition, will not be allowed to vote based on the incompetence of the electoral authorities is anti-democratic.

    “That is why we have written to INEC to allow duly registered voters to exercise their franchise on August 9, whether or not they have PVCs or temporary voter cards. If this is not possible, INEC should consider postponing the election until such a time that not one voter will be disenfranchised due to the incompetence, collusion or shenanigans of INEC,’’ the party said.

    It warned that the Osun governorship election must not just be free, fair and transparent, it must been seen to be so by all stakeholders.

  • Candidates, stakeholders agree to free, fair poll

    Candidates of the 20 parties contesting the August 9 Osun State governorship election and other stakeholders have agreed to ensure free and fair poll devoid of violence.

    They made the pledge at a sensitisation workshop organised for political parties and stakeholders by the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs in Osogbo, the state capital.

    The parties in attendance include the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), the National Conscience Party (NCP) and Action Alliance (AA).

    Others are All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Accord Party (AP) and Democratic Peoples Movement (DPM).

    Issues bordering on the smooth conduct of the election were discussed at the  meeting held at the Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo.

    Some of the governorship candidates, who could not attend the programme, sent their representatives.

    While the APC candidate, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, sent the party’s state chairman, Elder Adebiyi Adelowo to the event, the PDP’s candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was represented by his running-mate, Adejare Bello.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party-Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, while opening the workshop, stressed the need for all the political parties and their candidates to shun violence during the election.

    Obi said free and fair election is a panacea to peaceful co-existence in any society and pledged that the governorship election would be conducted in a fair atmosphere.

    He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create a level-play ground for all political parties before and during the governorship election.

    He said: “Most of our political parties have negated a lot of their duties and concentrated mainly on elections and attaining political power at the expense of an entrenched democracy.”

    “I am calling on all the stakeholders in the Osun State governorship election to embrace peace. All the political parties contesting the election should have equal access to the media. And we want all political parties to have the freedom to publicise their programmes and agenda.”

     

  • Lagos school wins science fair contest

    Lagos school wins science fair contest

    •To represent Nigeria in US

    Doregos Private Academy, Ipaja, Lagos State, has emerged the overall winner of this year’s National Festival of School Science Fair and Quiz competition (NAFESS) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    Doregos clinched the first position with 76.4 aggregate score from their project titled: ‘2WP Tripowered generator.’ to beat other contestants. The school also clinched the sixth positions in the competition.

    Doregos’ victory has ranked it among the six schools that will represent Nigeria in Los Angeles, United States (US), in the Intel International Science and Engineering competition.

    Air Force Comprehensive School, Uyo, with ‘The Nonapiece, project, came second with 78.8 aggregate score. Air Force Comprehensive School, Uyo will also represent Nigeria in Los Angeles, US in the Intel International Science and Engineering competition.

    Other schools are: Maryam Babaginda Girls Science College, Niger State (third position); Teto Model College, Bayelsa State (fourth); Government Technical College, Ikeja (fifth) and Doregos.

    All the six schools will represent Nigeria with their projects in the Intel International Science and Engineering championship in the US.

    NAFESS 2014 is the product of a partnership between SPDC, Intels and Interswitch.

    The Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Clement Isuk, said the state has won many medals in science and technology competitions since the inception of the current administration in 2007.

    Isuk said of the10 years of existence of the national festival, the state has won the competition twice (2010 and 2012).

    He added that the successes are a result of the state’s commitment to the development of science and technology, and the free and compulsory education policy of the administration.

    His words: “We have raised our state to join the comity of nations in science and technology revolution by instituting numerous science and technology infrastructures like Ibom e-Library; Ibom Tropicana; Pipe-Jacking Drainage Technology; Ibom Industrial City and Deep Seaport; Ibom International Airport; the Research and Development Laboratory, among others.

    “This administration has consciously given high priority to the training of the project facilitators to position Akwa Ibom State in this emerging world of scientific breakthroughs and technological revolution.”

    The Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited/Country Chairman, Mutiu Sunmonu, said every new technology depends on a solid base of science and mathematics.

    Sunmonu explained that the process should be part of academic curriculum, which should form the core of any education.

    He also said such should be the universal entitlement for every child in Nigeria.

    He said: “We went into an agreement to support improved learning and teaching of science subjects in Nigerian secondary schools.”

    Sunmonu revealed that over $4m in prizes and scholarships will be awarded to winners in the international science and engineering fair in the US.

     

  • Port Harcourt team for London fair

    After emerging as the UNESCO World Book Capital City 2014, the Nigerian metropolis of Port Harcourt will host series of events lined up under the theme; Books: Windows to Our World of Possibilities. But in London, the team behind Port Harcourt’s historic bid for the World Book Capital City title will be at this year’s London Book Fair from Monday April 15 till Wednesday 17, to share their vision of literary programmes and interactive activities designed to celebrate Nigeria’s literary culture, promote reading and broaden the horizons of the nation’s young people.

    Port Harcourt was best known as the hub of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry but in recent years, it has emerged as a significant literary destination in sub-Saharan Africa, partly due to the success of the annual Garden City Literary Festival, which draws writers, publishers, academics and the reading public from around Africa to a week-long celebration of literature and the arts.

    Port Harcourt is the first sub-Saharan African city to hold the title and the first African city to win by public bid.

    It will be the 14thWorld Book Capital City when it takes over from Bangkok in April 2014. As 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the creation of Nigeria, the city will be celebrating with a range of events including initiatives to inspire young writers, engaging the community in literary and arts exhibitions, promoting the publishing industry, building capacity for the running of libraries and book clubs and the creation of collaborative publications such as The Walking Book and an anthology of 100 Nigerian writers entitled Nigerian Literature: A Coat of Many Colours. The emphasis is on empowering Nigeria’s greatest resource – its youthful human capital.

     

  • The Nation feted at Trade Fair

    The Nation was yesterday awarded a certificate of excellence by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA).

    This paper was adjudged by ECCIMA as the best print media in the coverage of the 24th Enugu International Trade Fair.

    The award was announced at the closing of the 10-day fair.

    The certificate, signed by the president of the chamber, Theo Okonkwo and vice-president Emeka Ikpeze, was presented to the Enugu correspondent at the closing ceremony.

    Other media organisations which won awards include Radio Nigeria for the best in electronic media outreach; the Nigeria Televison Authority (NTA) and the African Independent Television (AIT) for the best visual electronic coverage.

    The News Agency of Nigeria won the best wire service media with permeating reach.

  • African art fair holds in London

    Afair for African art, which is being organised by 1:54 Contemporary African Art fair is scheduled to debut in London, U.K. It is in partnership with a media house, IC publications. Founded by Touria El Glaoui, daughter of celebrated Moroccan artist Hassan El Glaoui, 1:54 contemporary African Art Fair will be the first international art fair dedicated exclusively to contemporary African Art, and will run concurrently with the world renowned London Frieze Art Fair from October 14 to 20.

    The Fair will be held in the historic setting of Somerset House in Central London and will be designed by award winning Ghanian/British architect, David Adjaye- the man responsible for the Nobel peace centre in Oslo and the forthcoming $500million National Museum Of African- American History and Culture in Washington D.C

    Founder of 1:54, Touria El Glaoui, said: “We are very excited to have IC publications as our media partner for 1:54, the first Fair dedicated to contemporary African Art.

    The fair aims to promote on an international level established and emerging talents from Africa and the African Diaspora.”

    Managing Director of IC publications, Omar Ben Yedder said: “African art is finally getting the attention its artists and art deserves and 1:54 will be a show case for a lot of what is good in African art today.”

    We are truly excited about 1:54. I’m delighted as this is something that is very close to me personally.“

  • British Council to hold fair

    British Council to hold fair

    •Organises professional development sessions

     

    For four days next week, about 60 tertiary institutions from the United Kingdom will be in Nigeria to offer admissions, counselling, and visa application advice to Nigerian youths seeking international education during the 10th UK Education Fair organised by the British Council.

    However, this year will not be just about prospective students as the British Council has planned career development sessions for professionals seeking to reinvent their careers.

    At a briefing in Lagos last Friday, Project Manager Mrs Adetomi Soyinka said participants who pre-register and attend the courses on service management, ECOWAS, banking and currency issues, among others, will receive certificates of tertiary institutions that would deliver the modules.

    She said the professional development session, in addition to others that address living in the UK and undergraduate and graduate studies, has been included in commemoration of the 10th edition of the fair.

    She said: “The exhibition is in its 10th year and we are expecting over 60 UK institutions in Lagos and Abuja. The main purpose of the fair is to give students thinking of the UK study option the opportunity to meet with representatives of the institutions and learn what it takes. The value added this year is that we have partnered with some of the institutions to have professional development courses. We want the exhibition to be all encompassing. We want to bring up issues not normally considered about living in the UK. We have partnered with some high profile individuals who have studied/worked in the UK and are back in Nigeria. We have those who will address undergraduates and the postgraduate students – people who we know they will look up to.”

    Giving tips that can help prospective students earn scholarships or discount on tuition, as well as information to ease the visa application process, Mrs Soyinka advised them to ask representatives of the institutions about scholarships. She also counselled them to provide enough information when applying for visa.

    “All schools coming have one form of scholarship or the other. Students just have to ask. There are some that have bursaries, others, rebates. In terms of student visas, stand in the shoes of the entry clearance officer. It is better to give too much information than not enough,” she said.

     

     

     

  • Carroll ‘didn’t get fair chance’

    Carroll ‘didn’t get fair chance’

    Andy Carroll believes he wasn’t given a “fair chance” to succeed at Liverpool.

    The big striker scored just six Premier League goals for the Reds after joining them from Newcastle in January 2011, and was sent out on loan to West Ham after Brendan Rodgers arrived in the summer.

    And he believes that he was not given the opportunity to do his best at Anfield.

    “I haven’t really had a fair chance at Liverpool,” Carroll told ESPN. “I was really told that I should move on to keep playing regular football, and obviously then Sam (Allardyce) wanted me here and told me I would be playing regular games.

    “So, for me it was a no-brainer coming here and to play.

    “Obviously, I didn’t really get a chance there. A new manager came in and I wasn’t part of his plans.

    “For me to play football, that was my chance to do that. That is why I am here at Upton Park.

    “I think I could fit into every system. I believe in what I can do. Obviously he [Rodgers] has his beliefs and he didn’t think that.

    “But for me, obviously, it was better to move on instead of waiting for my chance – which he told me might not come.

    “Coming here, I have got a great chance to start games and score goals, which I haven’t really had many of last season.

    “I don’t think I have got a point to prove, that is the wrong way to put it. I know what I can do and the ability I have got. I know what I am capable of.

  • Election not free and fair, says Ilori

    Election not free and fair, says Ilori

    The Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Environmental and Sanitation, Bola Ilori, yesterday alleged that the just-concluded governorship election in Ondo State was not free and fair.

    He alleged that the soldiers were biased and molested members of the opposition on the election day.

    He said in a statement that he would continue to champion good governance in the state.

    The statement reads: “For me, the election has been won and lost. It was not a perfect poll because it was not free and fair. However, life must continue. I will stress the need for us to develop Ondo State, irrespective of the party in power. I congratulate the indigenes of the state for the passion shown and sacrifices made. One must not fail to condemn those who perpetrated violence during the campaigns and election.

    “While the police and the State Security Service (SSS) were impartial, the soldiers were biased. INEC would need to be more transparent in the conduct of elections and prevent a situation that was recorded during the poll when people were arrested a day before the election thumb- printing ballot papers for the Labour Party (LP).

    “INEC workers were also arrested and arraigned for selling voter cards to the LP. ACN agents were not supplied tags and there were few tags. That was the modernised rigging introduced into the election, as the majority of ACN agents were denied participation on this technical ground.

    “I am using this medium to draw the attention of Nigerians to these anomalies. On the whole, winning is good if it doesn’t get to the head, and losing is not too bad if it doesn’t affect the brain. A winner is one who remains focused even when the going gets tough. Therefore, I congratulate the people, I congratulate the parties and I congratulate the winner.”