The Nation Newspaper

Tag: peaceful

  • Ebonyi, Ekiti, Benue, Anambra, Ogun, Ekiti peaceful

    Ebonyi, Ekiti, Benue, Anambra, Ogun, Ekiti peaceful

    A number of states across the country did not participate in yesterday’s nationwide hunger protests.

    Most residents of the states stayed indoors or went about their daily routines peacefully.

    The peaceful states are: Ondo, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Benue, Anambra, and Abia.

    Others that shunned the protests include Ogun, Plateau, Kogi, and Kebbi. They were peaceful throughout the day.

    In Ebonyi State, banks and some major businesses did not open for business. The streets of the capital town were mostly empty as the residents stayed indoors.

    Most banks visited by The Nation around the popular Water Works and Ogoja Road were under lock and key.

    But most Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of the banks dispensed cash for the customers.

    At a bank on Ogoja Road, some customers were seen in front of the locked gate, unable to enter the premises to get their money.

    One of the customers said he was at the bank to apply for a new ATM card but the bank workers told them to go home.

    Popular fast food joints, including Chicken Republic, on Water Works, a major shopping mall called Roban Stores at Mile 50 area, and a major phone store, Fine Brothers, among others, did not open for business.

    Some filling stations opened but later closed shop. It was not immediately clear why they took the action.

    Security agencies were on constant patrol round the city while many others were stationed at strategic points across the city.

    Two armoured personnel career and patrol vans were stationed in front of the old government house with a strong detachment of policemen.

    The policemen all tied red pieces of cloth on their arms.

    But there was no sign of any protesters anywhere in the city throughout the day.

    In Ekiti State, the residents did not take part in the protest.

    Our reporter, who visited major towns across the state, including Ado-Ekiti, Ikere, Ifaki, and Iyin Ekiti to monitored the situation, observed that commercial activities went on as usual while the residents went about their business activities unhindered.

    Business owners were sighted in their shops. Banks, filling stations, and markets, including the popular Oja Oba Market in Ado area, opened for businesses.

    The state secretariat on new Ado/Iyin Road had many civil servants who reported for work as early as 8 a.m.

    The old Governor’s Office housing the Ministries of Transportation, Local Government, Special Duties, and the Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, among others, witnessed a beehive of activities.

    The major roads in the state capital and streets were busy with commercial and private vehicles as well as motorcycles plying the roads although the traffic was lighter than usual.

    Security operatives, including the police, members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Amotekun Corps, were seen at strategic locations across the state capital.

    A 31-year-old resident, who gave his name simply as Bolakale, who dismissed the protest, said the government was taking steps to ease the hardship and hunger in the country.

    Read Also: Abuja peaceful protest turns violent as people scramble for safety

    Also, some Yoruba leaders have declared total opposition to the planned hunger protest, saying they were unwilling to witness a repeat of October 2020 mayhem during the #EndSARs protest.

    The leaders, under the aegis of Yoruba Leaders of Thought, noted that though Nigerians have the rights to protest, they should have a rethink and dialogue with the Federal Government on any issue.

    Addressing reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the group’s National Leader, Elder Tajudeen Olusi, said President Bola Tinubu and the state governors were aware of the economic hardship and were taking bold steps to address the situation.

    The elder statesman, who was represented by the group’s National Secretary, Bayo Aina, appealed to Nigerians, especially residents of the Southwest, to shun the protest.

    He said it was a ploy by disgruntled elements to destabilise Tinubu’s administration for personal gains.

    Olusi stressed that the planned protest, from strong indications, appeared to have a political undertone rather than genuine concern for the public interest, hence the need to suspend it in the country’s interest.

    “We have a total aversion for a protest that will last 10 days. It is abnormal. We are not opposed to a protest but a protest that will last long will degenerate to an unanticipated and undesirable outcome, and we don’t want it. We urge people to go about their lawful duties without fear of molestation.

    “The Federal Government and the state governors are aware that there is hunger in the country and they are taking steps to address the economic hardship in the land through implementation of people-oriented policies.

    “We believe that the steps being taken by the Federal Government, with time, would begin to yield results. The borders should be open for the people to import foods without paying tariffs. So, the issue of hunger is being addressed.

    “A protest is not the solution to the hunger and economic hardship in the country. It will only be counterproductive. This is because there’s no way you can disrupt social and economic activities that would not lead to violence, more so when the organisers are being sponsored,” he added.

    Also, there was no protest in Benue State yesterday.

    The state’s public workers reported for work and performed their duties in their various ministries.

    Markets, shops and malls were open as earlier as 8 a.m without any harassment.

    There were free movements on all major roads in Makurdi, the state capital. Commercial buses and motorcycles, popular called okada, conveyed passengers across the towns and villages.

    On the eve of the protest, government officials had campaigned against the planned protest in all public places.

    In Anambra State, the fear of gunmen to use the planned protest to cause mayhem forced the residents to stay indoors.

    But some markets, like the main market in Onitsha and Awka, the state capital, opened for business without many traders. But in Nnewi, they were shut.

    Few vehicles were seen on the Awka-Onitsha expressway, while the link roads in Nnewi, Onitsha, and Awka were empty.

    Security operatives were seen patrolling the roads with their sirens blaring, while others were took positions at strategic places.

    One of the traders who spoke with The Nation, Sunday Okeke, said there was no need to protest so that some people would not use it to foment trouble.

    A civil servant, who did not want to be named, was seen at Aroma around 12.25 p.m being driven to the office to write her name in the attendance register.

    She said people stayed indoors to protest for fear of being attacked by gunmen since it had been the practice in the Southeast for some years.

    Many shops, banks, and schools did not open.

    Also, residents of Umuahia, the state capital, and those of Aba, the state’s commercial hub, did not open their shops and other business premises.

    In a statewide broadcast on Wednesday, the governor, Dr. Alex Otti, had appealed to the residents not to join the protest.

    He cautioned that some unscrupulous persons might take advantage of the protest to breach the peace in the state.

    The Nation had reported that the State Director of the Department of State Security (DSS) had summoned heads of various broadcast and print media outfits, including the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), where she said the agency had intelligence that non-state actors were planning to infiltrate and hijack the protest.

    Heads of other security agencies in the state, including the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), assured residents of their safety.

    Commuters who left Umuahia for Aba in the early hours of the day paid as much as N2,000 for a transport fare that usually cost N1,200 for coaster buses and N1,400 for Sienna.

    Black market petrol sellers took advantage of the protest and sold the product for N1,000 per litre.

    A few Point of Sale (POS) operators also took advantage of the closure of banks to increase their charges.

    The Nation reports that though the residents did not participate in the protest, they remained indoors throughout the day.

    Major markets in Aba, including Ariaria, Ahia Ohuru, and Cemetery, which usually recorded huge presence of shoppers and visitors during normal work days, were shut yesterday.

    Commercial banks, fast food centers, major inter and intra-city transport companies, filling stations and other business centres also did not open for business.

    There were policemen and a detachment of military personnel at Bata junction. One of the lanes of the popular Aba-Owerri road leading to an army outpost at Bata junction was cordoned off.

    Another batch of military personnel was sighted in another part of Aba in a show of force.

    The state remained peaceful with people moving about their businesses without harassment.

  • Commissioner urges peaceful co-existence

    Commissioner urges peaceful co-existence

    Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) Bolaji Cecilia Dada, has congratulated Muslims and Lagosians on successful completion of Ramadan and celebration of Eid-il-Fitri.

    In a statement by Assistant Director, Public Affairs Unit, WAPA, Eloho Aggreh, the commissioner urged all to continue to maintain peaceful co-existence.

    Read Also: Pray for peaceful coexistence, ex-governors tell Nigerians

    Speaking in her office today in Alausa, she said women should reflect on Ramadan lessons of compassion, unity, mutual respect and reflect on the teachings of the holy prophet.

    She admonished the women to remember the most vulnerable and poor in their communities.

     The commissioner said she prayed the holy season would continue to ensure peace prevail everywhere.

  • ‘Nation should foster peaceful inter-religious co-existence’

    ‘Nation should foster peaceful inter-religious co-existence’

    A political group, Christian Youths in Politics (CYP), has said Nigerians should restore factors that helped to cement unity.

     It urged the people to shun divisiveness and ensure unity and peaceful co-existence.

     The body said as part of its efforts to ensure peaceful co-existence among ethnic and religious adherents, it would organise the maiden ‘Peaceful Co-existence Conference’ in Lagos on October 28.

     Addressing a news conference, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Olufemi Ajadi, said the group was not oblivious of the fact that the void created by disunity in the country had posed a debilitating effect “on development of our society.”

     He said: “This is what prompted the group to organise the conference.

     “We remain committed to promoting peaceful co-existence through dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders.

     “By our estimated projection, over 1,000 participants from diverse backgrounds, religious shades and beliefs will be discussing issues related to peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.”

    Read Also: Senate moves to bar CBN govs from partisan politics

     Ajadi said the conference would include keynote speeches, plenary sessions, panel discussions and breakout sessions to enable participants familiarise with national  issues and proffer solutions.

      “The conference will highlight the need for greater inter religious and inter -ethnic dialogue and also emphasise the importance of promoting tolerance and understanding among Nigerians from different backgrounds.

     “Participants will also discuss ways to combat hate speech, discrimination and violence in the country.”

     A Board of Trustees member of the group, Amb. Kolawole Princess, said those expected at the conference include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde, officials of Lagos State Government, among other dignitaries.

  • Free, fair, credible and peaceful – for every dream, there is its reality

    It is Friday, February 22, 2019 and I am writing my column for the week. By the time that it appears two days from now on Sunday, February 24, 2019, the first round of the 2019 general elections would have taken place. That is then; I am writing this piece in the time of now. And I am wondering how it will be then. Specifically, I am thinking about – peace. Concretely, I am thinking, asking: will the elections, on the whole, be peaceful? Iwalesin secularist that I am, nonetheless, I am “praying” silently but fervently for the elections to be peaceful. I am hoping, with a desperation that surprises even me, that by the time that this piece is published, the news outlet will not be awash with gruesome stories of homicidal violence and mayhem in many parts of our country. In this thought, I see and acknowledge my oneness, my solidarity with virtually all my countrymen and women: with nary an exception, we are all yearning for peaceful elections; we are all hoping that by this time next week, we would not be inundated with tales and pictures of deaths and destruction in many parts of the land – as usually happens at the end of many of our elections in this country and on our country. This is why the title of this essay contains the four words, free, fair, credible and peaceful.

    Human beings are defined, are constituted by both the reality of their lives and the dreams that arise in response to the reality. Quite simply, very few things are free, fair, credible and peaceful in the reality of the collective, associated lives of most Nigerians. Nowhere is this truer than in the time of elections. That is precisely why we dream of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. In general, from the simplest to the most complicated aspects of our lives, human beings everywhere hope that their dreams do not repeat or reenact the worst aspects of the reality of their lives. I do not know about you, compatriots, but I know that in the last four to six months, I have not seen or heard of any other grouping of words in the print, broadcast and social media to the same degree that I have encountered those four words – free, fair, credible and peaceful. At home and abroad in the wider world, you encounter the same words when you come across reporting or commentary on our 2019 elections. Indeed, it was the regularity, the constancy with which I encountered those words in recent months that finally drew my attention to their dream or otherworldly vintage, that is in relation to the lived realities of collective existence in our country.

    Of the four words in the exemplary or symbolic concatenation that I am discussing in this piece, the one that seems not to be immediately apparent as a dream motif inversely related to social reality in Nigeria is “free”. By this, I mean that while it should be immediately apparent that the words “fair”, “credible” and “peaceful” do not remotely seem to have anything to do with public, collective life in Nigeria – the Nigeria of the PDP and the APC – the word “free” seems to be far less distant from our ideas and feelings about life in our country. Precisely, I am suggesting that for the most part, Nigerians do not feel that they are unfree, that they live under a dictatorship or even a repressive political order. Of course, sometimes, Buhari has been rather lax in his dealings with the rule of law; he has been very flexible in deciding which orders of the law courts to obey and which to ignore. But so far at least, he has generally kept his innate anti-democratic and autocratic instincts in check. At any rate, being unfree is not something most Nigerians complain about, no be so?

    But how many tens of millions of Nigerians have the freedom not to starve, the freedom not to be the recipients of some of the most inferior and worst services, products and treatment from both public utilities and private enterprises? The freedom not to die useless, senseless deaths on badly constructed and maintained roads and highways and ill-equipped hospitals and clinics? The freedom to live dignified, anxiety-free lives with neighbours in communities across the length and the breadth of the country that are not plagued by bandits, kidnappers, cultists and official and unofficial extortionists, do we have this freedom in Nigeria? With all these freedoms drastically curtailed or outrightly denied, what true and real freedoms remain? The ill-usage that Nigerians routinely receive at home from their government is second only to the same contemptuous treatment that Nigerians receive in many other parts of the world – without the intervention of their government. As this is not the subject of this essay, I will not deal exhaustively with it. But my point, my intent in bringing it up for notice should be fairly evident to the reader by now: being free in an expansive, enriching and humanistic conception of the word, is not a notable part of being a Nigerian in our age – the age of the PDP and the APC. And that is why I include the word with the other three words – fair, credible and peaceful.

    For every dream, there is its reality: this is the other part of the title of this piece. Free, fair, credible and peaceful elections are desired by every nation on the planet. I do not forget that fact. But there is another fact of historic, global significance that I also do not forget: in many parts of the world, free, fair, credible and peaceful elections are no longer mere aspirations or dreams; they are achieved and regularly repeated experiences. Significantly, a few of such nations are on the African continent. I think we can all agree that our country, Nigeria, is not one of such African nations. From this, I think, I hope that we can all agree that elections are not (yet) free, fair, credible and peaceful in Nigeria because so many other things that affect the quality of life in our country are also not free, fair, credible and peaceful. In other words, the dream of fair and credible elections in Nigeria goes far beyond elections themselves to just about every other aspect of our lives, including, incidentally, the lives of our social and political elites. This is what that phrase, “for every dream, there is its reality”, implies in this piece.

    If a dream is not a nightmare, if it is euphoric and comforting, we embrace it. This is common to all human beings, as individuals and as entire communities. This is what dream interpreters and social psychologists mean when they say that dreaming is a very important aspect of human lives, in particular the psychic and imaginative aspects of our lives. From this, I wish to say, simply, that we must never give up on the dream of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections – whatever happens or does not happen in the ongoing 2019 general elections in our country. Throughout the sixteen years of the reign of the PDP, the dream of elections that are free, fair, credible remained just that, a dream, a fantasy as illusory as the dream of a deluge of rain and water in an unforgivingly dry and parched desert. [Especially under the duo of Maurice Iwu, the amoral and cynical INEC Chairman in the period and President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria experienced its worst and most violent election malpractices to date] The 2019 elections are the very first to be organized and conducted under the reign of the APC. Whatever happens in the elections, whoever wins or loses, this is one question we must all face: what are elections going to be like under the reign of the APC?

    There are many dimensions of this question to keep in mind. One: if the APC loses, the question becomes automatically redundant. However, remember, compatriots, that APC and PDP are two sides of the same coin since, quite literally, a large chunk of the PDP leadership have been APC chieftains, just as many in the leadership of the APC were once doyens and kingpins of the PDP. Thus, like a customer seated in a barber’s swivel chair while having his head shaved, Nigeria may be caught between a rock and a hard place in the gap between the dream of free, fair and credible elections and the overwhelming reality of the unfreedom, incredibility and unfairness of life for most Nigerians.

    Another dimension of the question to keep in mind is how long the reign of the APC itself will be, that is, if the party wins in these 2019 elections. Everything on the horizon of the present indicates that APC will remain unevolved and non-evolving. Like the PDP, indeed like all the ruling class political parties, its main driving force is the combination of dedication to the idea of a rotational presidency and deep ethno-regional primordialism, thinly overlaid by confused progressivist and populist ideological pretensions. And there are no thinkers, no visionary intelligentsia among the party’s leadership. If there are, they are yet to emerge as a clearly distinct and influential formation within the party. Above all else, the APC, leadership and rank-and-file membership, is as dedicated to the primitive accumulation project of diversion of our national wealth and public assets to private ownership and control as is the PDP and, indeed, all the ruling class parties. I beg, may I talk this one in true wazobian Nigerian Pidgin: looters and would-be looters borku inside APC as dem borku inside PDP and all the other big men and women parties and na so ‘e go be until…

    I will not end this piece on a negative, despairing note. We must keep our dreams of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria alive, knowing fully well that it is a dream appertaining to all aspects of the quality of life for all in our country. Let us look out for and take note of every aspect of the dream that stands out clearly during and after the elections. Euphoric, comforting and inspiring dreams often come to us, not as entire wholes but as fragments, as bits and pieces of broken porcelain being laboriously glued together again. Thus, I would ask, compatriots, that we keep in mind any of the following things that might strike us as unusual during and after the elections.

    The army and how obtrusive or decisive or, conversely, unobtrusive and minimal its participation was/is in the elections. In all the countries of the world where elections are routinely free, fair, credible and peaceful, there are never any army tanks and trunks and any soldiers, in uniform or mufti, in sight. Shoot at sight, Buhari more or less said to the police and the other security forces, if you see any ballot box snatchers. This clearly implied that the president expected the use of force to disrupt the smooth and peaceful conduct of the elections and is more than ready to meet force with force. Pay attention, compatriots, to the scope of the militarization that we see in the course of the elections.

    Look also, compatriots, to what I would describe as the NECO yardstick of pass and failure in the conduct of the elections. At one time in this country, NECO passes used to be as low as 10%. In one particular year, 2003, the success rate was 1.8%. Yes, 1.8%, leaving a failure rate of 98.2%. In more recent years, an improvement of sorts has happened and passing percentiles of 45% to 55% have been recorded. If you can detect a NECO pattern in the election results, know, compatriot, that it is not yet Uhuru in free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

    Finally, dear reader, look to how confirmed or, conversely, confounded are expectations of voting allegiances along primordial and ethno-regional lines in the results of the elections. In all the nations of the world, demographic trends are often very marked in how people vote. For instance, in the United States, the two huge coastal areas, the Atlantic and the Pacific, together with the large urban centers, have electoral allegiances quite distinct from those of communities in the hinterland and the rural areas of the country. But not demographics but primordialism dominates our elections. Will this pattern repeat itself in this electoral cycle? The APC and the PDP are betting on this while some of the newer, “upstart” parties like African Action Congress (AAC) and the Young Progressive Party (YPP) are hoping to buck that pattern. For every dream, there is its reality? No, or not entirely so. Rather, for every reality, the dream is there to reshape and transform it when conditions become auspicious.

    • Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

  • Ajimobi hails election as credible, peaceful

    Oyo South Senatorial District candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of yesterday’s election, describing it as credible, peaceful and relatively hitch-free.

    He said this during an interview with journalists shortly after casting his vote in the company of his wife, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, children and sons-in-law, at Ward 11, Unit 20, Oluyole Community Grammar School, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan.

    With the benefit of hindsight, the governor said the election was the best he had witnessed since he joined politics.

    In his general assessment of the election, the governor said that the conduct of the election was a marked improvement from the past exercises, apart from reported cases of late arrival of polling materials in a few polling units across the state.

    The governor said he was particularly impressed by the large turnout of voters, especially youths whom, he said, had, by their actions yesterday, demonstrated their resolve to assume leadership positions.

    He said: “I’m impressed with the conduct of today’s election which I can confidently say passes the litmus test of freeness, fairness and credibility. I congratulate the people of Oyo State for turning out in large numbers to exercise their franchise.

    “The atmosphere in this polling unit is that of conviviality. We are all laughing and smiling at one another. The faces I see here are the faces of people who are happy and satisfied with this election.

    “From what I have seen here and the reports I have received so far, the election is hugely successful and credible. The few cases of late arrival of electoral materials were later resolved.

    “Not minding whether they are voting for our party or not, the voters here received me and my family warmly and you can see all of us throwing banters. I must tell you, this is another achievement of our administration. I did not hear any case of brigandage or violence so far.

  • Defence Hqtrs vows to ensure peaceful, credible polls

    •Army: 95 per cent of personnel ’ll be deployed

    THE Armed Forces yesterday distanced themselves from the verbal altercations and threats from the country’s major political parties and actors, as campaigns to garner votes heightened across the nation.

    They, however, maintained that those plotting to scuttle the elections should desist.

    The Armed Forces said they have responsibility to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and credible environment, where no citizen would be disenfranchised as a result of security issues.

    Speaking on behalf of the Armed Forces, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) asserted that none of the political parties or actors exchanging hot words was speaking its mind when it (military) alleged that some local and foreign elements are plotting to scuttle the forthcoming general elections.

    The DHQ spoke on a day the Army said 95 per cent of its troops would be engaged in security duties during the forthcoming general elections.

    It added that almost 40 per cent of the troops to be deployed would be in the Northeast.

    But, Acting Director of Defence Information Brig. Gen. John Agim, who addressed reporters at the DHQ in Abuja on the position of the military concerning the general elections, maintained that the Armed forces would remain neutral, impartial and strictly adhere to professional code of conduct before, during and after the elections.

    Brig. Gen Agim said: “The military is not speaking anybody’s mind as regard plans by some elements within and outside the country to scuttle the elections, and no political party or politician is speaking the mind of the military.

    “We are only talking to our own people on the need for total peace throughout the period of the election. The reason being that if there is any problem, it is the military that will be called upon to maintain peace and orderliness.”

    “The military that was around in 2015 is still the same military. Political parties may come and go, but the military remains. If there are issues among the political parties, that is not our responsibility. Ours is to ensure that nobody is disenfranchise because of security problem.”

    The Defence spokesman was flanked at the conference by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Sani Usman, the Air Force Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who was represented by his deputy, Group Captain Wapp Maigida and the Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Navy Commodore Suleman Dahun and Director, Defence Intelligence Brig-Gen. K Olajide added that troops have already being deployed in various on-going operations across the country to maintain the peace and ensure that elections hold in a peaceful atmosphere across the country.

    He said during elections, no military personnel would be allowed around the polling centres as they have been told to go and vote in mufti.

    He said: “In a few days’ time the nation will be conducting the presidential election and elections into other key political offices in the country.  It is on this note that the Armed Forces of Nigeria wish to re-affirm their neutrality, impartiality and strict adherence to professional code of conduct before, during and after the general election.

    “Therefore, we would like to reiterate that the Armed Forces will carry out their constitutional duties with zero-tolerance to unprofessional conduct.  No military personnel are expected to fraternise with any political parties and associations.

    Read also: SDP endorses Buhari as Ezekwesili’s group adopts Atiku

    “While it is pertinent to state that military personnel have the right to perform their civic duty to vote as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, they must approach their polling units in mufti, devoid of any military accoutrement.

    “Any military personnel, who is not on essential duty that is found on military uniform on election day, will be arrested and face the full wrath of military justice system.”

    But, Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement that it was not true that the troops were being paid some allowances in other to sway their votes for a particular party as being alleged in the social media.

    Brig Gen Usman said: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to some insinuations on various social media platforms that the recent payment of uniform allowance to officers and soldiers was done to sway their voting towards a particular political party. This is not true. The payment of uniform allowance was started in 2016 to assist troops deployed on Operation LAFIYA DOLE as uniform upkeep and maintenance…

    “We, therefore, implore all well-meaning Nigerians to dissociate themselves from such fake and unwarranted information calculated to smear the Nigerian Army.”

     

  • 2019: Sultan, stakeholders seek peaceful, credible elections

    Ahead of the general elections next year, the Sultan of Sokoto and other religious leaders have called on politicians and other stakeholders for peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.

    They spoke at a forum on religious leaders’ consultation “Towards peaceful 2019 general elections in Nigeria”. It was organised yesterday by International Centre for Inter-Faith Peace and Harmony (ICIPH) in Abuja.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who was represented by Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, stressed the need for all Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious inclination, to promote peaceful co-existence to ensure economic growth and development in the country.

    Abubakar identified peace as a factor for any nation that wanted development and urged Nigerians to guard against anything that could threaten the peace currently being enjoyed in the country.

    He, however, urged politicians and other stakeholders to do their best to ensure credible elections in 2019, adding that it is the wisest course to peace and progress in the country.

    According to him, the ICIPH will continue to mobilise religious leaders in the nation to promote peace and harmony among Muslims and Christians in Nigeria.

    He said religious leaders were key to ensuring lasting peace in the country, adding that they had a crucial role to play in ensuring religious harmony among Christians and Muslims in the country.

    “The religious leaders will therefore use their existing platforms to propagate the message of peace and tolerance,” he said.

    The sultan commended the interfaith group for its efforts towards strengthening unity among Muslims and Christians in the country and encouraged it not to relax in educating Nigerians to shun conflicts and religious intolerance.

    Vice President, Christian Council of West Africa, Rev. Benebo Fubara-Manuel, advised politicians to desist from their attitude of desperation for power.

    He said: “Peace is important. If we kill ourselves because of elections, in the end, who are we going to lead? ”.

    Fubara-Manuel called for peaceful period of campaign by all the political parties, urging Nigerians to reject political violence, inter or intra party violence in the forthcoming general elections.

    Rev. Israel Akanji, President of Abuja Conference of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, expressed hope that the forum would help proffer ways of promoting peace in the country ahead of the general elections.

    He urged Nigerians to be united and look beyond political affiliations to create harmony, peace, healing and reconciliation among the people, with special reference to the 2015 elections.

    Dr. Usman Bugaje, a former Political Adviser in the Presidency during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, called on politicians to avoid hate speech and instead, focus on issue- based campaign.

    Bugaje stressed that politicians and other stakeholders should be more concerned on a process leading to free, fair, transparent and peaceful polls in 2019.

  • NASS bye-election peaceful in Kwara

    • Lai Mohammed, REC, others hail poll conduct

    The National Assembly bye-election took place in Kwara State under a peaceful atmosphere as voters conducted themselves in an orderly manner.

    Security personnel were stationed at various polling units and strategic locations to monitor the conduct of the poll.

    The seat of the Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Isin/Irepodun Federal Constituency of Kwara State became vacant late September this year following the death of Princess Funke Adedoyin who represented the constituency

    There was massive turn out of voters in most polling units in communities in Oke-Ero Local Government Area.

    Voters who came to polling centres with temporary voter’s cards could not, however, vote as card readers did not authenticate their cards.

    Speaking with reporters after casting his vote at Oro Ward II, Onikoyi polling unit, Oro town, minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, hailed the conduct of the election, saying that he was impressed with massive turn out.

    The minister, who expressed the APC to win the election, said that people of the area were mobilised before the poll.

    Also speaking at Ajase Ipo Ward 1, in front of Olupo palace, the PDP stalwart and the state’s commissioner for finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, said that the election witnessed impressive turn out of voters. He, however, said that people complained of malfunctioning of card readers in some areas.

    Traditional ruler of Odo-Owa in Ekiti local government area of the state, Oba Joshua Akinyemi Adimula, condemned use of only card reader machine, saying that alternative of manual accreditation ought to be allowed.

    He said insistence on the card reader alone denied many people of the right to vote.

    Chairman of the local government, Joseph Oni, who voted in his Idofin-Igbana community, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters and the conduct of the election.

    Oni, who said that there was no vote buying or any other malpractice in the exercise, explained that replacement of the machines were made by INEC officials where card readers were not functioning properly.

     

  • El-Zakyzaky: Shiites protesters not peaceful, say activists

    The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has written the United States following activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shi’ites.

    The centre frowned at the recent protests by the group, which led to loss of lives and crippled commercial activities in Abuja.

    In the letter signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Grace Akatu, SHAC called on the United States to speak up on the side of truth by urging an end to the terrorist activities of IMN.

    The letter reads: “The natural reaction from any patriotic Nigerian with knowledge of the IMN violence would be to condemn many of these statements as meddling in Nigeria’s affairs without the benefit of facts; but we appreciate that countries that took time to urge caution have facts at their disposal, which means their statements must have strayed off-mark owing to a subjective appreciation of the facts on ground.

    “Far from being “harmless protesters” IMN members that invaded Abuja have only one intent, which is to unleash terror on the law abiding residents of the city. The IMN leader, Mr. Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky, is not being held by Abuja residents but by law enforcement agencies that have arraigned him before a court of competent jurisdiction. It is therefore the height of mischief for IMN extremists to occupy the streets of Abuja, cripple businesses and destroy private property without law enforcement stepping in to protect Nigerians. If the police and army did not stepped in to defend Nigerians and prevent the sect from overrunning the city they would have failed in their duty.

    “The intervention of the police, which was overwhelmed thereby necessitating the involvement of the army, is a necessity owing to the status of IMN as an outlawed group. This places IMN a mere one level below being declared a terror group even though its actions in the recent weeks have automatically bestowed this status on its members. They are terrorists with links to a state sponsor of terrorism, the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

  • Oyo warns masqueraders against violence

    The Oyo State government has urged custodians of the Egungun Festival in the state not to renege on their promise of celebrating a festival devoid of violence and hooliganism.

    The government noted that peace, security and safety had been predominant during stakeholders’ meetings involving heads of masquerades across the state: the Olori Alaagba, the Aare Isese from the zones and custodians of the masquerades with government officials at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

    It said representatives of the government’s security department always attended such meetings preceding this year’s Egungun season.

    In a joint statement by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun and the Special Adviser to Governor Ajimobi on Community Relations, Alhaji Bidemi Siyanbade, the government said another stakeholders’ meeting will be held today at 12 noon to further deliberate and consolidate the modalities and conduct of masquerades during this year’s Egungun Festival.

    The statement said this would give it the prominence it deserves and promote the state’s rich cultural values and tourism potentials.

    The government said 23 of the 27 Egungun in the state had signed a non-violence pact with the police Command.

    It said the government had secured the commitment and readiness of security agencies to maintain peace, law and order during the festival.

    The government hailed the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, for keying into Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s peace initiative during the festival by admonishing the custodians of the masquerades (Egungun) to maintain peace and order.