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Tag: Jega

  • Jega: Those afraid of card reader are electoral offenders

    Jega: Those afraid of card reader are electoral offenders

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega Wednesday assured that his commission has made all the necessary preparation for transparent elections this Saturday and on April 11.

    He said although his commission has evolved various electronic measures aimed at limiting fraud in the nation’s elections, it will delay the application till 2019, but will only apply the card reader this time. He said those opposed to the deployment of card reader in this year’s elections were those who feel their fraudulent conduct will be detected.

    “To my mind, and to many in INEC, this is one of the many reasons many people are opposing the use of the card reader. Because a clear way that they had used in the past to somehow get away with fraudulent conduct in elections, will now be made difficult, because if they do, it is very likely now to be established.

    “The use of the card reader will help us address some of the concerns about the alteration of, particularly accreditation figures in order to fraudulently advantage to a candidate and disadvantage the other candidate.

    ‘Information about accreditation, which will be saved on the card reader and which will be transmitted to our data base, will be useful in term of addressing irregularities, when the emerge in relation to alteration of accreditation figures,” Jega said.

    The INEC Chairman spoke in Abuja Wednesday while inaugurating the Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs) Situation Room, where CSO representatives, under the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, will receive and analyze reports of the elections.

    He assured that the commission has done “everything possible to ensure that the 2015 general elections are successful, and in particular, we have done everything possible to ensure that we have prepared operationally and logistically for the conduct of the elections, we have worked very closely with security agencies and we have received assurances, through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, and most specifically from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), because the police has a lead role in terms of providing security for the elections.

    “These reassurances make us comfortable that all that need to be done has been done to ensure the successful conduct of the elections.

    Jega gave a picture of some of the improvements the commission has made since the last election in the movement of material and men to minimize hitches experienced in previous elections and its preparation for this one.

    “Beginning from today, we are commencing the rolling out, leading to Saturday, the Election Day. Before now, all the non-sensitive materials had been taken to all the local government offices. Form today, the sensitive materials will be received from the vault of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and taken to our state offices, accompanied by agents of political parties.

    “Then, later this evening, till tomorrow morning, these will be distributed various local governments, and will also be accompanied by parties agents. At the state level, we expect that as from tomorrow evening, up until Friday afternoon, all the materials taken to the local governments will also be distributed to the ward levels.

    “At each ward level, we have established what we call Registration Area Centre (RAC). We have equipped it reasonably to ensure that both our staff and security agencies spend the few hours of the night there, in readiness to deploy very early in the morning to the various polling units in each of those wards.”

    On collation and presentation of results, Jega said the commission will use the same method it applied in previous elections. He said the although the commission had tested the process of electronic transmission of results, having used it in some elections in the past, it will not use it in the 2015 general elections because of the reaction of some people to the introduction of card reader in this elections.

    “We will not put that electronic transmission of results to use in the 2015 general elections. We consider the reactions from innovation of using the card reader and we felt that we should just, cope with that rather than create additional challenges about electronic transmission of results. And particularly, the memory of that in the Kenya election is still fresh in the memory of many.

    “So, we felt that lets keep piloting it and improving upon it beyond 2015. Hopefully, by 2019 general elections, the commission will get there where it can do full electronic transmission of results. Even though we are not going to do electronic transmission of results, we have tried to address a concern, which was expressed after the 2011 general elections, with regards to the transparency of the collation of the results.

    The coordinator of the Situation Room and Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Clement Nwankwo urged INEC to do all within its powers to ensure that it improves on all the lapses experienced in past elections.

    He commended INEC for its efforts so far, noting that there was a substantial improvement on its preparation as against the experience in past elections. he urged the military to realize that its role is to give back-up security to the police, whose main duty is to provide security during elections.

    He warned the soldiers against intimidating electorates or acting in manners that betrays it sympathy for a particular party or candidates, noting that soldiers are not to be seen close to the polling booths.

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba also assured that the police was ready to provide adequate security during the elections.”

    IGP, who was represented at the event by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the police is ready for the elections.

    “Our men are adequately motivated.

    “We are ready to go. Where we do not have sufficient men on the ground, we are working with other security agencies. We are even preparing for the 2019 elections for those who feel the country will not exist after this year’s elections,” he said.

    He said unlike previous experience, men to be deployed for electoral duties will be paid their allowances before departure.

    He also assured that the police will pay attention to the security of the Youth Corps members and ad-hoc staff to be deployed for the election.

  • Reject inducement, NYSC DG, Jega tell corps members

    Reject inducement, NYSC DG, Jega tell corps members

    THE Director-General, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen.Johnson Olawunmi, and the Independent National Election Commission’s (INEC’s) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, have admonished corps members billed to participate in the elections to shun inducement.

    The corps members were assured of prompt payment of their allowances before and after election duties.

    Reading from Brig.-Gen. Olawunmi and Prof. Jega message to the corps members at the Lokoja Township Stadium in Kogi State, the  state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Olabanji Agatha, urged them to build on the success of the 2011 elections and make the nation proud.

    With their academic exposure, she said, a high sense of patriotism and integrity was expected from them.

    Each participating corps member will receive N32,000 for the March 28 and April 11 national assignments.

    The message also reads: “As corps members, who have been exposed to a high academic knowledge, ideals and objectives of NYSC, it is expected of you to handle this critical assignment with a high sense of patriotism, integrity, diligence and responsibility.”

  • Polls: Reject inducement – NYSC DG, Jega tell corps members

    Polls: Reject inducement – NYSC DG, Jega tell corps members

    The Director-General, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. JB Olawunmi and the Independent National Election Commission Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega Tuesday admonished corps members billed to participate in the conduct of general election to shun all forms ofinducement.

    The corpers were assured of prompt payment of their allowances before and after election duties.

    Reading from their message to the corpers, at the Lokoja Township Stadium in Lokoja, Kogi State, the NYSC state Coordinator, Mrs. Olabanji Agatha called on them to build on the success of the 2011 General Election and make the nation proud.

    With their academic exposure, she said, a high sense of patriotism and integrity was expected of them.

    Each participating corper will receive a cumulative total of N32, 000 for the March 28 and April 11 national assignment.

    She added: “As corps who have been exposed to a high academic knowledge, ideals and objectives of NYSC, it is expected of you to handle this critical assignment with a high sense of patriotism, integrity, diligence and responsibility.

    “The last General Election held in 2011 was adjudged as the fairest and most credible in the history of our country.
    “Your past colleagues participated in that election was hailed by Nigerians, the international community and election observers as a major contributing factor to its successful conduct. It is against this backdrop that the nation is again calling on you, the corps members, for this very important electoral national assignment”.

    She commended them for availing themselves for national duties despite the unfortunate incidence of the past, saying they have proved that as youths, they had much at stake in the building of a virile nation.

    She said, “The unfortunate violence that followed the Presidential Election of 2011 has not deterred you from rendering your services to our dear nation. This indeed is a show of the zeal and unconquerable spirit of the Nigerian youth. Nigerians appreciate you, history will commemorate and celebrate you.

    “While praying for the success of the forthcoming General Elections, we assure you that your welfare and security have been taken into consideration.”

  • Wayas to Jega: make Card Readers effective

    Wayas to Jega: make Card Readers effective

    A former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ensure effective use of Card Readers to forestall disenfranchising the electorate during the elections.

    Wayas, who spoke at a conference in Abuja, noted that “as much as Card Readers must be used, no efforts should be spared to make them work.”

    On calls for interim government, he said it was unconstitutional.

    “The call for an interim government as being agitated by some people is unconstitutional, as it is not enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

    “As the elections draw near, political party leaders should act as elder-statesmen and avoid actions and utterances that may cause a breach of peace and is capable of truncating our democracy. Campaign of candidates at this moment should be based on issues and not mudslinging, ethnicity or religion,” he said.

    Also speaking at the forum, one of the conveners, Tony Mike Akpan, praised the Federal Government and the security agencies on the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

    Akpan called on Nigerians to support the Armed Forces with information in their quest to end insurgency in the region.

    He urged members of the National Assembly and their leaders to respect their chambers.

     

  • Kudos to Jega

    Going by the preparations already put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the headship of Prof. Attahiru Jega towards the conduct of the 2015 election, it can safely be said that all so far is well and good.  It is evident from the various newly introduced steps taken to ensure that the elections will be devoid of election rigging and manipulations that characterised the 1999, 2003, 2007elections, including even the 2011 elections.

    From all intents and purposes, the alignment and configuration of card readers with Permanent Voters  Card (PVC), the coding and colour differentiation of ballot papers on local government basis, the configuration of polling units with card readers, distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) which by Friday, 13th March, 2015, as reported, has attained 81% collection of the total number of available PVCs, by voters, voters education and enlightenment programmes for all stakeholders, just to mention a few, are indeed signs of readiness of Prof. Jega to satisfy the yearning of the millions of electorate, who from all indications, in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, are more than ready to constitutionally exercise their voting rights come March 28 and April 11 in the presidential/national assembly and governorship/state assemblies  respectively.

    The stance of Prof. Jega on the controversial deployment of the military for the 2015 election is commendable and would no doubt enjoy the support of the majority of the electorate taking cognisance of the declaration/admission of Senator Ken Nnamani in his capacity as a Senate President to International Observers Mission led by former US Secretary and Chairman of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Mrs. Madeleine Albright, that “the PDP used mobile policemen and soldiers in the highly rigged governorship and state assemblies elections that was held on April 14, 2007, prior to the presidential and National Assembly” that took place on April 21, 2007.

    All forms of actions that can result into rigging of the 2015 election through disenfranchisement of the electorate should in as much as possible be avoided.  One fact that should remain firmly in the minds of all Nigerians is that when the electorate are disenfranchised through apathy or fear of the unknown, the result is the emergence of unpopular and unacceptable people at the helm of affairs and it can be better imagined what kind of governance leaders that get elected under this kind of arrangement will give to the people when they assume the position of leadership.

     

    •Odunayo Joseph

    Publicity Secretary,

     Lagos/Ogun States Branch of Okun Dev. Association

  • Will Jega yield to fresh polls shift pressure ?

    Will Jega yield to fresh polls shift pressure ?

     Over four weeks ago, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, bowed to pressure to shift the general elections. The service chiefs said they could not guarantee security in the three troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe – all in the Northeast.  On Tuesday, the service chiefs appeared to be singing the same familiar tunes. Will the electoral agency hold the elections on March 28 and April 11 as scheduled? Group Political Editor EMMAMUEL OLADESU examines the politics of polls postponement and  the implications for the electoral process.

    Another coup against the electoral process may be in the offing. Democracy is on crutches. For six hours on Tuesday, President Goodluck Jonathan presided over a crucial security meeting. At the end of the meeting, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, made a shocking disclosure. He could not categorically tell Nigerians that the troubled Northeast region is now safe for elections. He said the area has not fully met the conditions for elections. The implication of the statement is that the cloud of uncertainty over the election has not fizzled out, more than four weeks after the elections were postponed.

    The army chief was tactful. He refrained from clarifying whether the polls will hold in local governments yet to be liberated. But, he released security information, which may influence cardinal decisions germane to the conduct of the federal and state elections on March 28 and April 11 respectively.

    Gen. Minimah regressed into an innovative excuse, saying that there may be no full return of governance structures and infrastructural facilities in the liberated communities to warrant elections. He maintained that these two conditions, despite the liberation of the areas, are also critical to the elections.

    He, however, said that the onus was on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, who was at the enlarged security parley, to decide on whether elections can still be held in the affected areas, in the light of the new reality.

    “I am not competent to speak on the elections. INEC is still there. INEC has to re-assess the situation and evaluate because the areas have been liberated. But, I can also tell you that not all structures of governance have been reinstated so that citizens can go back to their areas and I think it is then that they can exercise their rights to vote,” he stressed.

    Before the elections were postponed, the presidency asked for six weeks for the military to restore order in the Hoko Haram-ravaged areas. Barely few days after the polls shift, the military, backed by forces from neighbouring countries, launched a full-scale onslaught on insurgents. In fact, the National Security Council, as pointed out by Gen. Minimah, passed a vote of confidence on the military, following the successful anti-terrorism operations in the region. But, he could not give a definite time for the conclusion of military operations in the zone. Although the presidency said that six weeks would be enough, the army chief said the conclusion of the special military assignment before March 28 may be illusory. The time frame may be unrealistic. Minimah said: “War is war. War, sometimes, is not fought on some platforms of permutations.”

    Before the polls shift, 14 local governments in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states were considered unsafe for the elections. But, it appears that substantial success has been achieved on the battle fronts in Yobe and Adamawa. Out of 27 local government areas in Borno State, only three – Abadam, Kalabadi and Gwoza – are yet to be liberated. If they are not freed from the dreadful sect between now and next week, the hope of conducting elections there is dim.

    In the Northeast, Jega now has two challenges, which may be amplified by advocates of polls postponement, who may blackmail the agency to further shift the eections. The first is the challenge of restoring what has been described as “governance structures and infrastructural facilities.” This is not INEC’s primary duty. The second is the anti-terror war that is now half-won, contrary to an assurance that there would be a respite in six weeks. Since these may not be fixed before the rescheduled polls, as hinted by the Chief of Army Staff, there may be new pressures on Jega to consider fresh postponement.

    Indeed, Jega was lonely at the meeting. Some observers described him as a sheep among wolves. The general elections have become a herculean task. No INEC Chairman has gone through these inexplicable ordeals since the birth of the Fourth Republic. Summoning the chief electoral officer to Aso Rock often generates the nasty feeling that the agency is about to be compromised by those avoiding elections without justification. Critics have warmed that the independence of INEC is ebbing away.

    A source close to INEC said that, although the agency is ready, but it cannot proceed, unless the government is ready. The Presidency and the PDP may have bought some time, but it is now grossly insufficient. Between then and now, it appears that public opinion has not changed. Thus, the fear of losing the elections is the bedrock of the dummy being sold to the public that the Northeast is still a no-go area for polling staff.

    What would Jega have said to convince the security meeting about INEC’s readiness? The meeting was presided over by the embattled Commander-in-Chief and candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the general elections. Some have questioned the propriety of his attendance because his partisan interest aptly conflicted with political neutrality.

    Vice President Namadi Sambo, who was at the meeting, has rejected the proposed use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) by INEC. Military chiefs who have taken a position on the correlates of security and elections were present. So were Secretary to Government of Federation (SGF) Senator Pius Ayim and Police Affairs Minister Mr. Jelili Adesiyan. Adesiyan, who allegedly played a controversial role in the Ekiti State governorship election rigging. Ayim is linked with the campaign group, the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), which has been collating unverifiable signatures and submitting to him.

    If the coast, as the impression is being created, is not clear, what are the options before the umpire?

    Is it in the national interest to postpone the polls again? What message will Nigeria be sending to the world? Will the credibility of the electoral process not be jeopardised? If the date is shifted again, can May 29 be sacrosanct? Are there no plausible options for INEC to explore, now that the government is indirectly saying that the security problem has not been fully resolved?

    There are other questions begging for answers: Should the presidential and governorship elections be shifted again because three local governments have not been liberated in Borno? Why is it that those who were dislodged from their homes cannot perform their civic duties at Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs’) camps, once their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are authenticated by card readers?

    The Northeast Coordinator of the APC Publicity Secretaries, Rev Phineas Padio of Adamawa State, acknowledged the tension in Borno State. But he said the IDPs from the state can vote at their camps in Yola, the Adamawa State.

    “Elections can hold in those camps. Displaced persons have lived there for months. Yola is safe. So, this is not an excuse. Yola is always peaceful. No bombing has been recorded in Yola. We have never had any gunshot,” he said.

    House of Representatives and Assembly elections are more of local elections in the affected local governments. Is it against the electoral law to postpone these fractional elections and hold by-elections later, instead of holding the entire country to ransom? If the polls are shifted again, what is the assurance that it will not be shifted the third time by those already allegedly brainstorming on the structures and elements of the interim government? If the security challenge cannot be resolved fully in six weeks, what is the assurance that it will be resolved before May 29?

    More questions. Yet, more elusive answers.

  • Call for Jega’s sack is illegal -Senator Tinubu

    Call for Jega’s sack is illegal -Senator Tinubu

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said that the call from some groups and individuals for the sack or resignation of Chairman of the Independent National Electortal Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega is unconstitutional and illegal.

    Tinubu who is the Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, a position she has secured the party’s ticket to run for a second term in the March 28 elections stated this when she led other APC candidates in Eti Osa on campaign to Tarkwa bay yesterday.

    Among the candidates were the House of Representatives candidate Abdulhazeez Akinloye and the House of Assembly candidate, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu.

    While answering questions from reporters Tinubu said, “it is not possible to remove Jega or force him to resign. He started this process and he must finish what he started. They cannot remove Jega, they must allow him to finish what he started”.

    While reacting to several demands of the community, Tinubu urged them to vote for all APC candidates in the election, because according to her many of their demands are within the purview of the Executive both at the state and federal level, so that an APC government can provide their needs.

    While promising to provide those within her powers, she reminded the people of her efforts in ensuring that the community has a health center, primary, Junior and Senior Secondary schools.

    Yishawu urged the people to take good care of their PVCs and vote for APC candidates in all the elections. He advised the voters to wash their hands very well before going to cast their votes on election day.

    Yishawu also condemned the call for Jega’s removal, saying his removal is a constitutional matter. “All we want is to ensure free, fair and credible elections,” Yishawu said.

    Akinloye advised the people not to sell their PVCs as that would deprive them of the opportunity in voting in any other election for a long time. “If you sell it, you can never vote again because the card is for all subsequent elections after the coming election.

    Condemning the call for Jega’s removal, Akinloye said it is not possible “because you cannot shift the goal post at the middle of the game.

    “This same Jega conducted the 2011 elections and PDP and everybody hailed him, why is he now a curse to the PDP, because it is visible that for the first time Nigeria is moving forward and PDP is not happy with this progress.

    “Where is it done to change a referee in the middle of a game, we want a free, fair and credible elections, anything that will make that impossible must be jettisoned,” Akinloye said.

    The candidates also met with the traditional rulers of Tarkwa bay and other surrounding communities as well as leaders of the Arewa community.

  • Jega snubs Oritsejafor

    Jega snubs Oritsejafor

    CAN boss to electoral agency: Card Readers must function

    Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Ayo Oritsejafor has spoken of how  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega snubbed him.

    “Some people have told me that I am too small to meet with him (Jega),” Pastor Oritsejafor said.

    The CAN chief spoke at a one-day interactive session of key stakeholders in the Nigerian project, comprising religious, political organisations and security agencies, organised by Think Nigeria Christian-Muslim Movement, with the theme: “Towards a peaceful and purposeful political transition in 2015”.

    Pastor Oritsejafor said: “The General Secretary of CAN has the INEC Chairman’s number. He text him, saying the CAN President wants to meet with you on some days. The INEC chairman text back, saying those days were not good. So, Jega gave us two days to choose from and we chose one and he (Jega) accepted. I do not live in Abuja; I live in Warri, and so I had to make my plans to come here. All my plans were made and just as I was ready to come to Abuja, my General Secretary contacted me again that the INEC chairman (Jega) said he cannot meet with us, that he is too busy. When I asked him then what date did he give? He said no date was given.

    “Till today, I, the leaders of all Christians in Nigeria, don’t have access to the INEC Chairman. I could not meet this man to have a discussion with him. Some of the things bordering us we wanted to share with him. We want to give him some solutions, suggestions, but that was it. No new date for us to meet with him. So, this is a problem that is why I am saying this now publicly. This happened a little less than two months ago. That disturbed me. The little people are begging him to look at our suggestions and act on them.

    But Chief Press Secretary to Prof. Jega, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said he was unaware of any request by the CAN chief to see Jega which was turned down. “I’m not aware. I have a fair knowledge of the chairman’s scheduled,” Idowu said.

    Dr. Oritsejafor added: “INEC is a necessary organisation that every nation must have. I am concerned about two things. One is on the issue of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). I have had it said several times that there are many Nigerians who are refusing to collect their PVCs. I beg to disagree on this because I sample this and the church I pastor in Warri with about 35,000 people and I asked them to show me their PVCs and I was shocked. I tell you and I lie not, probably close to half of my congregation do not have their PVCs.

    “I sent my pastors, over 100 of them, out to meet them and find out why and I discovered that I felt insulted that anybody would say that they registered and do not want to go and take their PVC. Some of them said the truth is, many of those cards don’t belong to the people in that location. So the people in that location could not find their cards. And the owners of the cards are also searching for their cards elsewhere.

    “I think one of the things INEC can do is to publish the PVCs that they have quickly, so that Nigerians can easily locate them or pass information on it to each other, so that one can go there to collect it. I am not saying this will solve all the problems, but it will go a long way to solve the problem. We charge INEC to please make sure that  those Card Readers work. They should work, they must work, and they were bought with money.”

    Pastor Oritsejafor said for the election to be successful, Christian and Muslim leaders must sign a peace pact ensuring that Christians and Muslims are safe before, during and after the general elections.

    Besides, in his view, for a successful election, there must be confidence building. And one of the things that will build confidence is that Christians and Muslims must resolve that we will protect each other.

    “Christians who live in predominantly Muslim areas should not be afraid to remain there. Many are running away. They shouldn’t. After all, they are Nigerians. And our Muslim brothers must make a commitment to say Christians will not be killed in predominantly Muslims areas while Christians should also say Muslims who live in their area will not be killed.

    “We must make that commitment to each other. And we must make it publicly. Let the nation know that nobody is going to be victimized based on his or her religion. Everyone must and should be free to go out and vote freely, believing that who they are voting for will help them. That is what democracy is all about. Many of us here today are preachers; some are politicians and other aspects of life. But the most important ones are the preachers because if you are politicians you will either go to the church or the mosque.

    “The preachers here must also make a commitment to go to the churches and to the mosques to begin to preach that Christians are save everywhere and Muslims are save everywhere and we must begin to teach our people to believe in Nigeria. We must begin to emphasise to our people that we are all Nigerians.”

    He advised leaders of both religions: “We must begin to tell our leaders, our followers to begin to think Nigeria. Nobody is superior to the other.”

    The CAN leader also urged all to encourage the military for their fight against Boko Haram.

    The President General of the Supreme Council of Islamic Preachers in Nigeria (SCIPIN), Sheikh Muhammed Nourayn Bn-Ahmad, said the two major problems “currently threatening the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation are that of religious extremism/intolerance, as well as subterranean forces working to breakup Nigeria into those previous pieces and ethnicities that were amalgamated in the past 100 years.”

    A minute silent was observed for Boko Haram victims.

  • Polls: Jega ignored my request for a meeting – Oritsejafor

    Polls: Jega ignored my request for a meeting – Oritsejafor

    President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor Wednesday expressed bitterness over how the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega refused to hold a meeting with him.

    Oritsejafor, who said the botched meeting, would have held earlier this year, hinted at the probability of Jega ignoring his request based on what some of the close associates of the electoral umpire must have told him.

    “Some people have told me that I am too small to meet with him (Jega),” Oritsejafor said.

    He made this disclosure at a one-day interactive session of key stakeholders in the Nigerian project comprising religious, political organizations and security agencies organized by think Nigeria Christian-Muslim movement with the theme: ‘towards a peaceful and purposeful political transition in 2015.’

    Oritsejafor said: “The General Secretary of CAN has the INEC Chairman’s number. He sent him a text saying the CAN President wants to meet with you. The INEC chairman text back saying those days were not good so Jega gave us two days to chose from and we chose one and he (Jega) accepted. I do not live in Abuja, I live in Warri, and so I have to make my plans to come here. All my plans were made and just as I was ready to come to Abuja my General Secretary contacted me again that the INEC chairman (Jega) said he cannot meet with us that he is too busy.

    “Till today I don’t have access to the INEC Chairman. I could not meet this man. We wanted to discuss things bordering us with him. We want to give him some solutions, suggestions but that was it. No new date for us to meet with him. So this is a problem that is why I am saying this now publicly. This happened a little less than two months ago.

    “INEC is a necessary organization that every nation must have. I am concerned about two things. One is on the issue of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC). I have had it said several times that there are many Nigerians who are refusing to collect their PVC. I beg to disagree on this because I sample this and the church I pastor in Warri with about 35 thousand people and I asked to show me there PVCs and I was shocked, I tell you probably close to half of my congregation do not have their PVC.

    “I sent my pastors over 100 of them out to meet them and find out why this is so.

    “I think one of the things INEC can do is to publish the PVCs that they have quickly, so that Nigerians can easily locate them or pass information on it to each other, so that one can go there to collect it. I am not saying this will solve all the problems but it will go a long way to solve the problem. We charge INEC to please make sure that everyone of those Card Readers work. They should work, they must work.”

    Oritsejafor said for the election to be successful Christian and Muslim leaders must sign a peace pact ensuring that Christians and Muslims are safe before, during and after the general elections.

    He said: “If we are going to have a successful election there must be confidence building. And one of the things that will build confidence is that Christians and Muslims must resolve that we will protect each other.

    “Let Christians who live in predominantly Muslim areas not be afraid to remain there. Many are running away. They shouldn’t. After all they are Nigerians. And our Muslim brothers must make a commitment to say Christians will not be killed in predominantly Muslims areas while Christians should also say Muslims who live in their area will not be killed.

    “We must make that commitment to each other. And we must make it publicly. Let the nation know that nobody is going to be victimized based on his or her religion. Everyone must and should be free to go out and vote freely believing that who they are voting for will help them. That is what democracy is all about. Many of us here today are preachers; some are politicians and others. But the most important ones are the preachers because if you are politicians you will either go to the church or the mosque.

    “The preachers here must also make a commitment to go to the churches and to the Mosques to begin to preach that Christians are save everywhere and Muslims are save everywhere and we must begin to teach our people to believe in Nigeria. We must begin to emphasize to our
    people that we are all Nigerians.”

    He advised leaders of both religions that: “We must begin to tell our leaders, our followers to begin to think Nigeria. Nobody is superior to the other.”

    The CAN leader also urged all to encourage the military for their fight against Boko Haram.

    The President General of the Supreme Council of Islamic Preachers in Nigeria (SCIPIN), Sheikh Muhammed Nourayn Bn-Ahmad said the two major problems: “currently threatening the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation are that of religious extremism/intolerance, as well
    as subterranean forces working to break-up Nigeria into those previous pieces and ethnicities that were amalgamated in the past 100 years.”

  • Jonathan meets security chiefs, Jega in Aso Rock

    Jonathan meets security chiefs, Jega in Aso Rock

    President Goodluck Jonathan is meeting  with security chiefs and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    In attendance at the meeting which started few minutes after 11a.m. are the Vice President, Namadi Sambo; National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim.

    Others are Chief of Staff to the President, Gen. Jones Arogbofa (retd.), Attorney-General of the Federation, Muhammed Adoke, Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali.

    The service chiefs in the meetinng are Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba; and the heads of the Department of State Security and the National Intelligence Agency.

    While the Security chiefs are expected to brief the meeting on the updates of the anti-terror war, Jega is also expected to brief the meeting on the commission’s preparedness for the March 28 and April 11 elections.

    Following his insistence on use of the card reader for the general election, there have been calls for Jega’s resignation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) and some other groups.

    MOSSAB members protested against Jega in Enugu, Owerri and Abakaliki last weekend while the OPC went on rampage in Lagos on Monday.

    The INEC Chairman on Monday however said he will not proceed on terminal leave before the expiration of his tenure in June.

    He said his resignation will be tantamount to dis-service of the country, especially now with the election so close.