The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Decides

  • Buhari urged justify integrity through credible polls

    A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to put his integrity to work by being faithful to his promise to ensure free, fair and credible Presidential and national assembly elections on Saturday.

    He said the President must also demonstrate his strong resolve for a united Nigeria and prove to the whole world that he is really in charge of affairs in the country by working his talks as contained in his nationwide broadcast on Thursday.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, Frank said: “It is good that President Buhari has once again pledged to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible. That is what Nigerians and the world expect of him at this time save for the fact that those who are out to frustrate and rig the elections on his behalf are people he supervises directly.

    “If the President is serious with his promise, let him stop the security agencies, especially the police, military and the DSS from intimidating and harassing Nigerians especially opposition party leaders as we count down to the first election tomorrow.

    “If the President is serious with his promise, let him stop illegal arrests and disruption of voting anywhere across the country by security agencies.

    “If the President is serious on his promise to guarantee a credible election, let him withdraw his men mounting undue pressure on INEC officials to help him win re-election by fraudulently allocating unearned votes to the APC.

    “If the President is serious, let him warn the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, all National Commissioners of INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioners, staff and all adhoc staff of the agency to abide by their oath of office which is to put Nigeria first above personal and selfish gain during these elections.

    “If the President wants Nigerians and the world to take him serious, let him stop the evil being plotted to disable GSM and internet signals nationwide in order to frustrate voters and election observers from communicating, sharing information and comparing notes.”

    He urged the President to emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan whose commitment to democratic ideals led to a highly acceptable electoral outcome in 2015 and a peaceful transmission of power to the then opposition APC.

    He insisted that Nigerians will only believe his “free and fair elections’ promise if the election is conducted in an atmosphere devoid of intimidation, harassment, violence and rigging by the APC, INEC and security agencies.”

  • El-Rufai meets foreign Observers, assures them of security

    *’They asked about my previous comment’

     

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Friday met with observers from the International Republican Institute, United States of America, ahead of Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections and assured them of adequate security during and after the polls.

    El-Rufai whose recent warning to foreign observers against interfering in the elections sparked controversy told his guests to “feel free while moving in the state.”

    Speaking to reporters yesterday at the end of the meeting at Government House, Kaduna,the governor said: ” We invited them to feel free and if they need additional security,we will provide for them. We told the foreign observers to feel free while moving in the state.

    “They asked me about my comment on the NTA live programme, the security situation in the state and I explained to them.

    “The last security review we did was on Friday with all security agencies. All the paramilitary like the Immigration Service, Prisons, Civil Defence and the Nigeria Customs, will all go out to provide security. The security agencies are ready for the task to assist the police.

    “As you observed we have a history of violence during elections in Kaduna State. We have made it very clear that vigilance groups will not be allowed to provide security tomorrow.

    “I call on all voters to come out and vote.We are confident that everything will go well. No one should be involved in taking another person’s life. So we are confident that the elections will go smoothly.“

  • Nobody will unseat me – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said that nobody will unseat him.

    He made the remark in a short interview published by CNN Africa on Friday.

    The President also dismissed suggestions that he has no stamina to run the country for another four years.

    He said he would do his best to curtail the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast while thanking Western countries for their support for the nation’s military.

    The short interview went thus:

    They say you don’t have the stamina for another term. What’s your response?

    “Well, I have done it. So, they can give you another answer.”

    You are ready to take this country forward for another four years?

    “Yes. I’m ready for it”.

    Boko Haram, terror groups are still wracking parts of this country, killing Nigerians. What is your plan to stop that?

    “Well, my plans is that, as I mentioned to the general public now, they used to hold 17 local governments. We have in this country constitutionally, 774 local governments.

    “They used to hold 17. They are not technically holding any local government now but they are indoctrinating young men and women, especially girls, wrap them up with explosives and let them explode it on soft targets, churches, mosques, market places, motor parks and other places.”

    Will military be able to stop this terror?

    “Of course, we are doing our best. And we thank the foreign countries, Europe and United States for training our armed forces and going to the front to see how they are performing after their training.”

    One final question. This is a vibrant democracy, you came in, unseating the incumbent. Are you worried the same could happen to you?

    “No. Nobody will unseat me.“

  • Ex-Governors want peaceful elections

    The Forum of Former Governors in the country on Friday asked stakeholders in Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections to place national interest above personal interest by ensuring a peaceful and credible election.

    Chairman of the forum and 2nd Republic governor of the old Anambra State , Chief Jim Nwobodo,said in a statement that Nigeria’s survival is more important than who wins the elections.

    Nwobodo also enjoined every Nigerian to ensure that the unity of Nigeria is not threatened in any way by the elections, and enjoined politicians to play by the rules of free, fair and credible elections.

    “It should be noted by all irrespective of tribe and tongue that the country’s corporate existence must not in any way be threatened. The survival of Nigeria is paramount and should be defended by all,” he said.

    “The Forum, which is Nigeria’s unity Forum will consistently work for peaceful, credible and violent free elections and appeal to all the stakeholders nationwide to work towards the same goal of ensuring peaceful and credible elections.”

  • I’m still with APC, says Gumbi

    A chieftain and strong pillar of the All Progressives Congress in Sokoto state, Abubakar A.A. Gumbi has denied defecting to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    Gumbi, who contested the governorship primaries from Wamakko local government and close political associate of Senator Aliyu Wamakko, said he has no alternative political platform to APC.

    Rumour of his defection rocked Sokoto on Thursday especially at the Giginya township stadium venue of the opposition PDP grand finale rally.

    Speaking with our correspondent on phone on Friday, Gumbi said:” I stand to gain more in APC politically than quitting it. I have invested my political popularity and ideas in the party and cannot wake up overnight and say I dump the party.

    “All those peddling the rumour and figment of their imagination are doing so to cause confusion and satisfy their antics.

    “It is the work of the opposition which is fast drowning in the state.

    “I therefore call on Sokoto people to ignore the baseless and unfounded cheap political misgiving.”

    Gumbi further urged Sokoto people to vote wisely for the party’s candidates while noting President Muhammadu Buhari has done remarkably well in all spheres of the country’s economy.

    “Buhari deserves a second term going by his resilient performance and tenacity for the prosperity of Nigeria and Nigerians infrastructure wise and human capital development,” he pointed out.

  • Police bar VIPs with security details from polling units

    The Bauchi State Police command have barred political appointees and other dignitaries from bringing their escorts to polling units during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections across the twenty local government areas.

    The Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Janja, gave the directive at a briefing with media practitioners and other relevant stakeholders superintending over the election.

    “Important personalities and politicians have been barred from going to any polling unit with their security details.

    “They are also warned to desist from moving from one place to another on the Election day, as provided under the Electoral Act,” he said.

    The directives, he added, also cover the gubernatorial and State House of Assembly election on March 2.

    Read Also; IPOB: Kanu calls off election boycott

    Also, a restriction order has been placed for the two elections respectively and only personnel on essential duties with valid accreditation card will be allowed free movement with strict monitoring.

    “There will be total restriction of movement of persons and vehicles between the midnight hour of Friday 15th February 2019 to 5:00 pm on Saturday,” he added.

    Miscreants, thugs and other disgruntled elements are also barred from coming near accreditation centres and polling units as he vows to deal with anyone fomenting trouble in accordance with the law.

    He assured that every flashpoint area in the state will be given adequate security as other areas will be adequately protected too as he appealed for continued support and cooperation of the public.

  • INEC has distributed 98 per cent election materials in Borno – REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) says it has achieved about 98 per cent delivery of non-sensitive election materials to polling units ahead of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The commission said it had also begun the distribution of sensitive materials to all the 27 local government areas of the state; adding that it was expecting to complete the exercise on Friday.

    The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, made the disclosure at a news conference on Friday in Maiduguri.

    Ibrahim explained that non-sensitive materials, such as voter registers, voting cubicles, Smart Card Reader, power generator and others were currently being distributed to polling centres.

    He disclosed that 2, 315, 956 eligible voters were expected to vote in the elections in the state.

    Read Also: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials in Imo

    Ibrahim said 435 candidates were presented by 41 political parties for various posts, including governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.

    He also said about 11, 000 security personnel were deployed for the elections, to secure 3, 933 polling units (PUs), electoral officers, election materials as well as buildings and premises.

    The REC said the commission had registered 409, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from eight local government areas, who would vote in designated camps.

    The commissioner listed the affected councils to include Abadam, Guzamala, Marte, Dikwa, Ngala, Kukawa, Mobbar and Kala Balge.

  • IPOB: Kanu calls off election boycott

    Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has called off the proposed boycott of elections by his ground in the entire South-East region.

    Kanu said the decision was reached following wide consultations with “stakeholders.”

    Kanu had severally warned that elections would only hold in any part of the zone on the condition of a referendum to determine the sovereignty of Biafra.

    But in a statement on Friday by the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said the boycott order was lifted after all terms and conditions were met by “those wishing us to lift the ban on voting.”

    The statement partly reads: “It’s important we notify the world at large and the indefatigable global IPOB family in particular that our supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has called-off the election boycott in Biafraland.

    “After a brief emergency session of the Directorate of State late last night presided over by our leader, it was determined that all our terms and conditions had been met by those wishing us to lift the ban on voting, it was unanimously agreed that the boycott should be lifted.

    “The signed document agreeing to IPOB terms and conditions are in our possession and will be made public in due course.

    “We can, therefore, state with utmost sense of responsibility and pride that IPOB has accomplished what no other people or group has been able to do in the history of our people.

    “Without prejudice, this will go down as the defining moment when the irreversibility of the restoration of Biafra was firmly entrenched in the subconscious of all and sundry.

    “As a result of which we can state categorically that Biafra is a lot closer than we think as a result of this.“

  • Photos: INEC begins distribution of election materials

    Ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has begun the distribution of sensitive election materials in Ibadan.

     

    Read Also; INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials in Imo

  • Sensitive election materials arrive Nasarawa

    Preparatory to the February 16th presidential and National Assembly election, sensitive materials have arrived Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, amidst tight security.

    The materials were taken to Lafia branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) in an articulated vehicle

    Police barricaded the road that passing around the bank to avoid security breach, the blockade forced the convoy of Governor Umaru Almakura to make a detour.

    Read Also: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials in Imo

    The Nation observed that European Union observers were seen monitoring the offloading of the election materials.

    The items arrived CBN by 12 noon and as at the time of writing this story, the items were being offloaded.