The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Landslide

  • Senator raises alarm over landslide in Akwa Ibom

    The lawmaker representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Senator Ita Enang, has raised the alarm over the 13 feet deep gullies running through the Calabar/Itu Highway (from Enen Atai, Ikot Akpan Itam) in Akwa Ibom State.

    Enang, while inspecting the preliminary intervention by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on the road, said unless the federal and state governments take urgent steps to repair the deep gullies, a disaster that can lead to deaths may occur.

    The lawmaker said the intervention undertaken by Raycon Engineering Ltd, which is for laterite to be poured into the ravine-like gullies on both sides of the road, may not meet the help the people, who ply the road, require.

    Senator Enang, who went into the jungle to see the level of damage, told reporters that the road would require reconstruction to avoid deaths.

    He said: “I have just spoken with the managing director of FERMA. I told him that it was good Raycon was given the task of filling up the gully created by the erosion. But this gully that runs through the stretch of this road requires more than just filling-up.

    “The people, who ply this road, do not even know that there is nothing underneath holding this road. The sand has been washed away with the possibility of a landslide of a greater dimension.”

    Enang went on: “As part of my responsibilities to my people and being part of the government, when I saw this disaster waiting to happen, I informed FERMA about it and visited their office.

    This made them to commission Raycon to do this job. It’s a good step, but we need more than this. In fact, we need the diversion of this road.

    “I know our governor has a large heart, loves his people and would not want any life to be lost on this road. I plead with him to engage the Federal Government on the dangerous state of this road with a view to beginning its reconstruction. We know that with his influence in national politics, this is possible.”

    The site engineer, Ukeme Udoette, said the present state of the road is dangerous to motorists.

    He said the pouring of laterite into the gullies is only a temporary intervention, adding that what is required is a reconstruction.

  • Ondo poll: Myth of Mimiko’s landslide victory

    Ever since the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Dr Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the October 20 governorship election in the Sunshine state, there has been a frenzy not just among the governor’s supporters but also in certain sections of the media. Many newspapers have been trying to outdo themselves in dramatising the scale of Mimiko’s purported landslide victory. The headlines have been creative, even entertaining. ‘Landslide Mimiko’. ‘Mimiko crushes ACN, PDP’. ‘How Olusegun Mimiko trounced PDP, ACN, Others’. One could go on and on. The objective is to manipulate public opinion and create the impression that Mimiko won an emphatic victory in the election. But accuracy of reporting is critical to the capacity of the press to help sustain and deepen democracy. Without accuracy of information, people could be easily misled into reaching wrong conclusions and innocently taking harmful decisions. The press must present and analyse the facts with scientific rigour devoid of partisanship. That is the only way it can effectively play its role as the watchdog of the people and facilitate the sustainable development of democracy in the country.

    Now, what do the statistics of this election tell us? The total number of registered voters was 1,546,081. The total number of accredited voters was 645,594. The total votes cast was 624,659 representing 40% of registered voters and meaning that there were 30,415 invalid votes. Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the LP was declared winner in 13 out of 18 local governments by INEC with 260,199 votes, which represents 41.6% of total votes cast. Olusegun Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared second winning in 2 local governments with 155, 961 votes representing 26.25% of total votes cast. Rotimi Akeredolu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was declared third winning in three local governments with 143,512 votes representing 24.15% of the total votes cast. A close analysis of these figures shows that more voters actually voted against Mimiko. Approximately 57% of total votes cast were actually against Mimiko and in favour of his opponents. He, therefore, did not get a majority of the votes and could not logically have won a landslide victory.

    To demonstrate this point further, let us examine the statistical implications of the July 14, 2012 governorship election in Edo state which returned Governor Adams Oshiomhole to office. In the Edo election, the total number of registered voters was 1,651,099. The total number of votes cast was 647,698 representing 40% of registered voters. Governor Oshiomhole scored 477,478 votes, representing 73% of total votes cast. General Airhaivbere of the PDP scored 144,235 votes, which was 22% of total votes cast. The other candidates in the election recorded 6% of total votes cast. All Governor Oshiomhole’s opponents put together polled 152,621 votes, thus trailing the comrade governor by 324,857 votes. Oshiomhole won a majority of votes cast and it is this example that can be accurately and properly described as a landslide victory.

    A perceptive analyst, Mr. Emmanuel Aziken, graphically captured this point in his clinical dissection of the October 20 Ondo state governorship election result. According to him “In the end, the people of Ondo state decided to return Dr. Mimiko apparently based on what has been largely described as his credentials in office. However, it was a narrow escape. Yesterday’s declared results gave Mimiko 260,199 votes out of a total of 624,659 voters representing about 40%. He thus did not get majority of the votes. The PDP candidate, Olusola Oke who came second with 155,961 votes and ACN’s Rotimi Akeredolu who came third with 143,512 votes together mustered enough votes that could have probably sent Mimiko packing. However, the past history of animosity between the PDP and ACN did not allow the two to form an alliance. Remarkably, Mimiko was returned to power by the Court of Appeal in 2009 which scored him 198,261 votes and his rival, Segun Agagu with 128,669. Then he had more than 55% of the votes. How the governor’s votes proportionally diminished between 2007 and 2012 is an issue for the governor and his handlers.”

    It is significant in this respect that the governor enjoys the advantages of incumbency. The PDP is crisis ridden. Believing that Mimiko was coming to join its ranks, the ACN allowed its structure to grow moribund only reviving its machinery a few months to the election. Interestingly, before Governor Mimiko headed to court in 2007 to challenge the election result, INEC had declared Dr. Segun Agagu winner with a landslide of 349,258 votes representing 53.2% of total votes cast. Mimiko was said to have scored 226,021 votes, which was 34.4% of total votes cast. Forensic investigation proved INEC’s declaration a fraud and Mimiko reclaimed his mandate. The results declared by INEC in the October 20 election will surely attract the interest of forensic auditors. The story may have just begun to unfold and the press should simply keep the people accurately informed.