The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Political

  • Setting agenda for political advertising

    As the 2015 elections draw near, stakeholders in marketing communication are joining hands with relevant electoral groups to ensure that communication experts are engaged to handle their political advertising campaigns to align with best global practices. ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI reports.

    It was a meeting of eggheads in the advertising and public relations industry. With the thrust of the forum centered around ensuring that the quality of political advertising campaign materials conform with certain codes of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it was, therefore, not surprising that politicians also thronged the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua International Centre, Abuja, venue of the forum.

    The forum, an initiative of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), was aimed at enhancing a free and fair election in 2015.

    With the dirty practices that characterise  the nation’s politics, experts want communication professionals to handle electioneering campaigns’ project to build the right perception for the polity in line with best global practices.

    With self-regulation almost impossible among broadcasting and news organisations in the heat of electioneering campaigns, coupled with the desperation syndrome by parties, their candidates and political campaign communication managers, INEC, is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that a collaboration between AAAN, BON and NBC change the game.

    INEC said during the international seminar with the theme, Political advertising, perception building and voters education, that it has reviewed the regulations contained in its code of conduct governing political advertisements and campaigns  with a view to ensuring strict compliance by political parties and their candidates.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said: “All expertise should be put to good use for the purposes of organising clean and positive campaigns that will help them win elections, rather than the kind of uncivil campaigns that take place in our country. It is important that we regulate and sanitise our campaigns.”

    He said the electoral body has revised the regulations governing campaigns and already shared a draft of those guidelines to political parties. We hope to finalise it and very soon, we will put it into effect so that political parties will know clearly where to draw the lines and the sanctions that would apply if they do not act according to the rules and regulations.

    He expressed satisfaction that the seminar has shown that we can learn good practice from other countries and factor it into your own preparations. “It is very important that we sanitise the electoral process and political campaigns. They should be research-based, well informed and expertise should be brought to bear in the preparation and conduct of political campaigns.”

    Also, the National Chairman, All Pro-gressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh, said political advertising remained a very important aspect of electioneering process.

    “I urge advertising practitioners to go to INEC and collect the code of conduct already signed by political parties. The code of conduct is in a position to regulate what advertising practitioners will do. If you know that what somebody is telling you to project for him is offending the law and the rules, you will drop such materials and it is very critical that advert practitioners partner with INEC because they are very important stakeholders in this process,” he affirmed.

    While advertisements influence decisions of the electorate in deciding whom to buy into, he stated that the absence of mechanism to regulate what political parties and their candidates are permitted to showcase to the electorate often lead them into making wrong choice.

    “Political parties have a code of conduct they have signed with INEC and keeping strictly to it. Political parties should refrain from messages that are offensive and in conflict with normal acceptable norms in the society. It is very important that as we prepare for the 2015 general elections, what the political parties and their candidates should be taking to the electorate will be very critical in deciding who the people will choose ahead of others in a particular contest. So, it is very good that at this time, political parties are enjoined to keep by the rules. Mudslinging and propaganda politics should be avoided.

    “You can’t decide to disparage people because they are your opponents. It is good that we have this seminar so that people will be told what to do. It is also very important that advertising practitioners would also be aware of all these things so that when people approach them to project certain messages to the Nigerian public, they will be properly guided. Billboards are raised containing certain messages, Newspaper advertorials are placed. All stakeholders are enjoined to vet and edit the content of materials coming to them from politicians before they go to print”.

    Meanwhile, the Political Director of the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign, Craig Smith, said to ensure best global practice, Nigerian politicians and their communication experts should ensure that in creating their campaign messages, they must start with research. He said research will reveal the popularity of the candidates, the need of the people, how to engage them, the best medium that will drive the campaign message to the right target so that electorate will make the right decision.

    Craig also said globally, political candidates and their parties use communication professionals in line with best global practice. He cited Clinton-Gore campaign as an example which followed principles of advertising campaigns process and delivered electoral victories and governance impact in the USA.

    However, Craig urged experts to desist from the use of attack communication strategy to attract voters’ sympathy; rather, politicians, he advised, should engage in activities such as community development projects that impact on the electorate, saying only this would attract their votes.

    Meanwhile, the outgoing President of AAAN, Mrs Bunmi Oke, said the association will ensure that government and politicians engage professionals in political advertising. She said the recognition of the association by the Federal Government is an icing on the cake. “The icing on the cake is that we got Federal Government recognition that we are invited to be a member of the national Confab. That tells me that in  this business we need to work as team with all stakeholders in the marketing communication.”

     

  • 2015: INEC urges adherence to guidelines on political adverts

    2015: INEC urges adherence to guidelines on political adverts

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, has urged political parties and their candidates to follow best practices in their advertising ahead of the 2015 elections.

    Jega spoke at the weekend in Abuja during an international seminar on: Political Advertising, Perception Building and Voter Education at the Yar’Adua Centre, organised by Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN).

    Jega said: “As we approach the general elections in February 2015, no effort should be spared by stakeholders in promoting civic enlightenment among the electorate and global best practices among the political elite. One of the major requirements of liberal democracy is mobilisation and participation of the people in the process. We should learn about international best practices in grassroots mobilisation, perception building and voter education.”

    The INEC chairman said the commission had revised the regulations in its Code of Conduct for political advertisements and campaigns to ensure strict compliance among parties and their candidates.

    He said: “It is very important that we regulate and sanitise our campaigns. A lot of that sanitation can be done without regulation, if only politicians can change their attitudes and mindsets. But we in INEC have revised the regulations governing campaigns and we have already shared a draft of those guidelines with political parties.

    “We hope to finalise it and, very soon, we will put it into effect so that political parties will know clearly where to draw the lines and the sanctions that would apply, if they do not act according to the rules and regulations.

    “I think what this seminar has shown is that you can learn a good practice from other countries and factor it into your own preparations. It is very important that we sanitise the electoral process and political campaigns. They should be research-based, well informed and expertise should be brought to bear in the preparation and conduct of political campaigns.”

    All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) National Chairman Victor Umeh said political advertising is critical to electioneering process.

    He urged advertising practitioners to collect the code of conduct already signed by political parties at the INEC headquarters.

  • Always try to raise the bar

    Always try to raise the bar

    A financially balanced woman is one that is able to provide for her needs, invest reasonably as well as save for the rainy days. This looks like a tough deal for many, and so cutting corners for survival therefore becomes inevitable for many. Yetunde Oladeinde takes a look at how some women have managed to stay at the top.

    POLITICAL, social and economic empowerment have taken the womenfolk closer to their dreams. More women are now being elevated into roles and they have begun to shape a better future for the younger generation of women. As women continue to savour their upward journey on the leadership scale , it is also important to look at ways to remain relevant as well as motivate others.

    It is also important to delegate to others because leadership is about teamwork. Here you must identify the strengths of your team and know who can do what better. A good leader must also be prepared for challenges. “When resources are scarce, stress levels become very high  and it is likely that the desire to succeed becomes frustrating”, declares  Ochee Bamgboye.

    She adds that having leadership skills is important but it is also good to strike a balance with your emotions. “Our reluctance to let our emotions run on a normal course has left many of us struggling in the area of spiritual maturity. The genetic blueprint peculiar to human kind is the ability to contemplate and choose the courses of action. The ability to behave rationally makes us superior beings.”

    Bamgboye continues: “ Emotional Intelligence, though scientific, teaches us that mental functions should not be controlled by our emotions, social conditions or unceasing flow of events. It emphasises on self awareness and self management, social awareness and relationship management. It helps us to accurately sense what others are feeling and responding to their emotions in a manner that motivates, and support, strong relationship and cooperation”.

    Honesty, commitment and having a focus all help to make the leadership journey exciting. Every leader is a role model and the team is a reflection of the principles the leader holds onto. “It is important for women in leadership positions to raise the bar and think of the legacy you want to leave behind,” says Stella Agbogun. Apart from having a wonderful career in nursing, Agbogun got more fulfillments with her passion in humanitarian work.

    “I would say that it is just a continuation of my life, something I got used to doing over a period of time. I got into nursing because my father then said that it was a profession for women. A job that would give me ample time to take care of my family.”

    When the amiable woman got into nursing, she found that it was great touching lives and lending a helping hand to the helpless. “I also had an aunt who was a nurse and I used to admire her dressed in the uniform and looking very smart. During the war, I joined the Red Cross and went from one hospital to the other assisting in dressing wounds and rendering other forms of assistance. That was how my interest in being my sister’s keeper began and this became a part of me at a point.”

    She adds: “I worked as a nurse for 35 years. I started in Port Harcourt and moved to Lagos after a while. Throughout my career in the nursing profession, I found that the life of children touched me more than any other patient (s) that I ever attended to. Maybe this actually explains my theme for the year as Lion’s District Governor titled, “Hope for the Nigerian child”. I see children a lot and it saddens me because they suffer so much. It is worse because they cannot talk about the things they are passing through. Every time a child dies, it affects me so much.”

    Was it easy combining your career, leadership role and family life?

    That is a very interesting question. As I look back now, I must say that it was not easy juggling all of that together. It was a hard road to tread but I planned ahead and made sure that I took care of all the aspects strategically. There were days when I cooked lunch and dinner simultaneously so that there was something for everyone even when I was not around.

    Of course, I also had to devote time for the family so that they do not lack anything. For a career woman, it is not easy but you must organise yourself in such a way that one area does not affect the other. You must always make sure that your responsibility on the home front does not clash with the other duties.

    There were other challenges too and I remember the Ikeja bomb blast that brought pain and sorrow to so many families. Two of my children were at home in the cantonment on that fateful day. I went to church when it started and when I finally found my way home, a bomb was seated in our parlour.”

    If she had to advise Nigerian women, what would you tell them?

    “I would tell them to be dedicated and hard working. They must be focused to get to the top of the ladder. When you want to be successful in your career and marriage, you also need to make a lot of sacrifices.”

  • ‘NBA conference on economic, political issues coming

    ‘NBA conference on economic, political issues coming

    The forthcoming Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Business Law (BSL) will address serious socio-economic and political issues affecting the country, secretary of its Governing Council Mr. Olu Akpata has said.

    The conference, according to him, starts from May 25 and ends on May-27, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Its theme is: ”Exemplary governance – enhancing economic development in Nigeria”.

    Akpata said: “This theme is influenced by the fact that the conference is being held in the penultimate year to Nigeria’s general elections and thus presents a unique opportunity for stakeholders to address the imperatives of exemplary governance as a platform for enhancing economic development in the country.”

    Since its inception in 2004, the NBA – SBL Business Law Conference has remained a converging point for policy formulators, regulators and industry practitioners with deliberations at the various editions of the conference. The deliberations cover diverse areas of  legal practice such as banking, finance and insolvency, infrastructure and power. Other ares are capital markets, mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings, competition law, travel, hospitality and tourism, sports and entertainment, intellectual property, arbitration and ADR, energy, natural resources, environment, and aviation.“

  • Blood on the political floor

    Blood on the political floor

    Dynamites. Bombs. Guns. These are instruments of war. The men who made them did not have love in mind. They had strife in mind. They were designed to cause destruction of unimaginable magnitude. Try presenting a girl with gun and professing love to her on your knees and see her reaction. She will most likely be horror-stricken and pleading with you to spare her or she will simply run and assume you are mad. Really, only a mad man should profess love with gun. There is nothing romantic about it.

    Flowers, candies, chocolates and all manners of gifts are instruments of professing love. Guns, bombs and dynamites are symbols of war.

    So, when in a state, bombs go off at one spot and dynamites are evacuated from another spot, then war has either started or is about to start.

    I am afraid for Rivers State, which is home to prominent Nigerians. It has been in the news in the last few months.

    Before the recent hulaballo in the port state, calm and civility made it home after the mad moments when kidnappers and militants operated from its confine and made nonsense of security arrangements. Fear walked on all fours and it was as though the end was here.

    But a Supreme Court verdict declaring Rotimi Amaechi governor brought in an era of calm and civility and companies, such as the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, attributed their relocation from Lagos to Port Harcourt to the security wonder wrought by Amaechi.

    But the honeymoon is over. Rivers is on the boil and there is blood on the political floor. Fire has relocated from the mountain. It has secured for itself a place on the ground and it is raging like a wounded lion.

    The recent strife became pronounced as a result of a struggle between Amaechi and some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the control of the party structure. A court ruling eventually took the party’s structure from the governor and gave it to a group led by Supervising Minister for Education Nyesom Wike, who until he became minister was Amaechi’s Chief of Staff. He also served as Amaechi Campaign Organisation’s Director-General.

    The governor was obviously sad about the development and he made his position clear.

    The crisis got so bad to the extent that the House of Assembly erupted in violence when the minority tried to impeach the governor. Heads were broken and blood stained white garments and stained the floor.

    It got to a head when Amaechi declared for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and he has not stopped urging the people to vote out the PDP. We knew the battleline has been drawn, but we were not prepared for what followed next.

    Last Sunday and Monday ended on bloody notes in the state. First, a high court was bombed. Then the police the day after said it had removed an explosive device, suspected to be dynamite, at the premises of the Ahoada High Court in the state.

    The police said the device was uncovered at the court’s premises following a tip-off.

    What is significant in this is the fact that the court was expected to sit that Monday to determine the ex-parte motion filed by Otelemba Amachree, the speaker of the House of Assembly.

    Amachree, who represents Asari-Toru constituency in the assembly, filed the application last November, seeking to stop Evans Bipi, a member representing Ogu/Bolo constituency, from parading himself as Speaker of the House. Bipi, who calls Dame Patience Jonathan his god, has addressed himself as speaker since the failed attempt to impeach the governor.

    The Rivers High Court in Okehi, the headquarters of Etche Local Government Area, was also razed on Monday, with vital documents burnt and valuable property destroyed.

    Since the Sunday and Monday incidents, the PDP and APC have renewed their battle, with APC saying the PDP was working to get emergency declared in the state.

    The PDP, in turn, has blamed the agents of the Rivers government for the arson.

    Significantly, last December 18, a judge’s office and the car park in the Ahoada High Court were hit by explosions.

    Now, men speak the language of blood. Love seems old-fashioned. For those of us too young to have memories of the Biafran/ Nigerian civil war, we have read books and seen documentaries. The late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister also sang about his experience and warned that “only he who does not know war calls for strife”.

    One thing is clear though, disturbances, whether of military or civilian hue, have never brought good. No war or disagreement has ever been concluded at the battleground. The roundtable has always ended it all.

    The gladiators in Rivers must check it. No innocent blood must be shed. No head must be broken again. Democracy allows for disagreements. Go ahead and disagree, but keep the guns away; keep the dynamites away. Make Port Harcourt a romantic city, where flowers, candies and their likes are seen all over. After all, you all claim the fight is for the benefit of the people.

    But, I must add, from the look of things, my advice will not be taken. Heads will still be broken. Innocent blood will still be shed. And guns and dynamites will still be used to express the weird kind of love that Rivers is experiencing.

    My last take: God will punish whoever uses violence against the people. He will make things difficult for agents of destruction. He will destroy the plans of the evil ones and ultimately clean the blood on the political floor and make the people smile and express love with flowers and candies. And end the reign of guns and dynamites. All the people need is love! It is not too much to ask.

     

     

     

     

  • Why political instability may persist

    SIR: There cannot be stability when the conditions for it are absent. Take the electoral system as a starting point. Popular protest against election rigging made President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to set up the Electoral Reform Committee, headed by Justice Muhammed Uwais. The most crucial recommendation of that committee, which was that the electoral system should be freed from the whims and caprices of the partisan President, Governor, and the ruling party, as the case might be, was jettisoned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), using its upper hand as the ruling political party.

    There was a palpable and bourgeoning agitation for the implementation of the Uwais’s recommendation in the build-up to the 2011 general elections, but Dr. Goodluck Jonathan also thwarted it by nominating Prof. Attahiru Jega to replace Prof. Maurice Iwu as the chairman of the electoral commission. Too many Nigerian intellectuals swallowed the bait, saying Jega was incorruptible. I was almost a lone opponent, shouting, “But we want a strong institution and not just a strong personality!”

    Obviously, large scale manipulation of election results still trails our nation, as a consequence of our collective lack of focus, and PDP’s desperation to leave as much room as possible for election-rigging.

    Besides election-rigging, most of the major crises that have bedevilled Nigeria have bordered on which ethnic group or region controls Nigeria, from the civil war (1967-1970) to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Hence it was a welcome development when some leaders from all over Nigeria decided on rotational presidency, starting with the South-west whose Moshood Abiola, was denied the presidency by the 1993 annulment. Against rejection by the South-west, the rest of the country voted for Olusegun Obasanjo; he lost even in his own ward in the 1999 presidential election. The South-west leaders who later embraced him regretted their lack of focus.

    At the end of Obasanjo’s two-term tenure, the rotation shifted to the North-west, and Yar’Adua emerged as elected President. Why did Nigerians again lose focus, and voted for Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, just because Yar’Adua died? Note that it was not only the PDP that chose its presidential flag bearer from the South-west in 1999 and 2003; or from the north in 2007; all the major opposition political parties did the same. What is more, even in 2011 when the PDP was arm-twisted to vote for Jonathan, the major opposition political parties still maintained the rotation stance.

    Why then should the All Progressive Congress (APC) shy away from appropriating rotational presidency among the six geo-political zones, for order, equity, peace, progress, and stability? Nigeria’s constitution condones federal character policy for the same reason; how does rotational presidency violate that spirit?

    Isn’t it significant that arguments against rotational presidency heightened after Jonathan truncated it in 2011? Any nation that loses focus on critical issues of election and political order can hardly be stable.

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • Slash Political ‘SAP’ by 75%; ‘24 Hour Power’ in 3 months-Solar; Are checkpoints legal?

    Politicians are often selfish but are they ignorant also? Many are playing with fire, insulting the electorate in their lifestyle and speech and expecting praise. Did you not shudder at the Egypt’s political upheaval gunfire? Patience Jonathan’s expensive, traffic snarling ‘Peace Rally’ flies in the face of poverty, angers the nation and is not the answer! Better governance is the only answer! Politicians should see the effect of bad politics on the faces in Egypt and Borno, in Plateau states and the murderous fire fight on the North-South cattle corridor.

    Politicians would be enlightened if Nigerian newspapers kept a ‘Cumulative Death List’ and counted refugees. Blankets and buckets do not replace loved ones or livelihoods. Refugees deserve large cash handouts and business support. Politicians should learn about the killed and kidnapped. They also voted. The dead are not ‘only 25 died’ or mere numbers. They were living people with life ahead. Politicians should calculate the cost of violence inflicted by their decisions. The River’s State crisis mirrors the Oyo State violence four years ago. The peace in Oyo State today is ‘normal’ and credit to Governor Ajimobi’s strategy of saying “No” to thugs’. The NURTW needs re-education, ID cards, speed limit controls and registration.

    Politicians must be reminded that their exorbitant ‘Salaries and Perks’, SAP, scam since 1999, allowed them to ‘legally but immorally steal billions’, distort the economy and precipitate the current national wages crisis.

    As suggested by this column and by NUC, political SAP should be political issue for APC party and the 2015 elections. The citizens should only vote for politicians signing a ‘Personal 50-75% Salary and Perks Reduction Agreement’. Nigeria cannot afford the hundreds of billions of naira spent on politicians. This dividend of democracy, no Nigerians except the politicians want! Meanwhile government politicians have no money for ASUU bills.

    Never forget that since 1999 every single politician of all political parties, without moral exception, appears to have happily taken their allowances or fees for furniture, hotel, vehicle, sitting, standing-in, out-of-station, bush, travel, overnight, per diem, appearance, brown envelope and cash-under-hat as and when due. In fact we should be forcing a change in politics towards cheaper politics, a Parliamentary rather than a Presidential System or at least a ‘Part Time Parliament’ paid per diem.

    Politicians must accept that their Salary and Perks’ structure SAPed Nigeria dry, post Babangida’s SAP, and is the catalyst for nationwide unrest and inflation in rent and other prices. It has increased those in poverty by devaluing the naira and undermining anti-poverty strategies. SAP are the stick beating down the masses for politicians to earn a minimum of N12m/year rising to N30m while millions are on N15,000-18,000/month or N490-590/day.

    ‘Politics’ is just another subject with an examination every four years or so. ‘The Mass Failure’ of politicians cannot be swept aside by elections, bought and paid for by money largely stolen from the electorate and diverted from development. Politicians must know that nothing is secret. They should not be deceived by the Al Mustaphas or the thieves who stole the petroleum and electricity money and are now big philanthropists to cover their tracks.

    Nigeria is in need of ‘Emergency Measures’. Nigeria is populated by millions of hard working Nigerians trying to be self-sufficient who deserve the rights of 21st century human beings, including cheap grid electricity -100,000Mw. The hopeless power situation is not a game or a joke but a Nigerian yoke. Though this government has power it fails to give the citizens power. This government has held ‘Uninterrupted Political Power’ since 1999, and government was held by others before this government. Old or young, the leadership including every single president during the last 30 years is disgraced by this lack of power which has taken up to half of the earnings of many businesses. If Nigerians ran such businesses in a Nigeria with ’24-hour Power’ like in many African countries and worldwide, imagine the savings, profits, service delivery, silence, lack of noise and air pollution and how many Nigerians would be above the poverty line. In spite of this, government demands more taxes. Government complains about food imports but is silent on fuel and generator imports resulting from government’s power incompetence.

    The questions all Nigerians ask are: ‘How dare governments provide every electricity need for its political and civil servant members, using tax funds, to the exclusion of the people’s needs?’ and ‘Why is there no apology?’

    Nigeria’s government has no excuse not to get the USA, UK, Germany and Japan to provide the ‘Emergency Power Supply’. They are also leaders in new solar battery technology. The Japanese replaced the losses at Fujiyama within three months. It got emergency power because Japanese politicians know that the people’s needs today are more important than long term solutions bedevilled by corruption and never-executed contracts. Here Nigerian politicians ignore even God-sent solar power which needs no grid, gas contracts or distribution networks. Government should invite the Japanese as an emergency measure, now!

    The lesson from ‘The Festus Osugwor Extortion Case’ is ‘Always Turn on Phones’. With many Nigerians owning a phone, we can join the anti-corruption war as the FOP, ‘Fear of Phones’ should reduce corruption and save lives. Has the IGP reversed the law banning static police checkpoints? They are back with one nearly permanent checkpoint now on the Ibadan’s Bodija-Awolowo Road, near SSPeter and Paul.

    IGP, is it legal?

     

  • From political contest to murder

    A simple matter of holding primaries for election of a councillorship candidate turns bloody, Ogochukwu Anioke in Abakaliki reports.

     

    On Tuesday 23rd of July, the Ebonyi State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its councillorship primaries to elect the party’s flag bearers for the forthcoming local government elections fixed for September 29, 2013.

    The primaries turned out bloody in many local government areas in the state with at least one person confirmed dead and scores of others injured and hospitalised.

    At least, one member of the State House of Assembly allegedly escaped death by the whiskers in the outbreak of violence that marred the conduct of the primaries. Cars, a house and other valuables were also torched in one of the LGAs while many more were vandalised in the violence which took place in over eight local government areas.

    The outbreak of violence also led to the cancellation of the results of the primaries in Afikpo South and some wards in Onicha and Ohaukwu LGAs by the party.

    Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, police spokesman, DSP Sylvester Igbo, said one Kalu Ogbu Awu, 38, was killed by gunshot while another party faithful, Ibom Agwu Kama, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

    Violence unlimited

    Igbo said initial report gathered by the police indicated that the outbreak of violence in the local government area was due to a clash between supporters of the two councillorship aspirants in the ward.

    The spokesman gave the name of those alleged to have carried out the shooting as Nnachi K.C. and Onyemachi Dick.

    The Police, according to Igbo, also foiled an attempt by one of the factions to burn down the house of Collinius Orji, the Development Centre Co-ordinator of Edda East Development Centre.

    But the member representing Afikpo South West Constituency, Eni Uduma Chima disagreed with the police report on the killing accusing them of trying to protect the real killers (names withheld) of Kalu Ogbu.

    According to him, “The police as usual are conniving with the people that have been terrorising our people to cover up the truth behind the killing, they have received inducement. The man they are accusing, Nnachi KC, was with me when the incident happened in another ward, he never left his ward to the ward where the incident happened.”

    In Ezza North LGA, according to the police spokesman, a Mercedes Benz truck with registration number XJ182NSH belonging to one Mr Sunday Ogbuagu, a Supervisory Councillor in the council and a house nearby was set ablaze by a faction said to be unhappy with the outcome of the primaries.

    In Ohaozara Local Government Area, it was reliably gathered that the PDP Chairman of the LGA, Okechukwu Mark, was accosted by thugs on his way to submit the result of the primaries for Amichi Ward to the Council Headquarters in Obiozara and allegedly beaten and the result snatched from him.

    The result was, however, recovered from the thugs after the Council Chairman, Enekwachi Akpa, ordered security operatives and officials of the party to recover the results.

    Confirming the incident, the councillor representing Amichi ward told our reporter that the Ward recorded a successful poll except that the result was snatched from the chairman of the party who was on his way to submit the result at the council headquarters.

    During the fracas, one of the state PDP executives in the area (popularly known as Apostle) sustained minor injuries. Contacted, Akpa who reluctantly spoke to reporters denied any knowledge of violence in the area saying: “I don’t know of any violence. We had a successful election.”

    It was completely an ugly scenario at the council headquarters of Onicha LGA as a serving councillor in the area, (names withheld) was beaten and arrested by the police for allegedly bringing in a dagger into the hall where electoral materials for the election were being distributed.

    Trouble started when electoral materials meant for Ishinkwor Ukawu Ward was handed over to a wrong representative of the area for the conduct of the councillorship election. This was resisted by the incumbent councillor.

    Attempt to foil the delivery of the material to the ward through protest led to fracas as he (the councillor) was besieged by some youths and beaten up in the process.

    A member of the House of Assembly, Odefa Obasi Odefa representing Onicha East Constituency, allegedly escaped being stabbed by the councillor in the ensuing melee which happened right inside the council headquarters.

    Also, the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Timothy Odaah who is from the area narrowly escaped being attacked by thugs during the incident.

    The commissioner who accused the House of Representatives member of Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency, Linus Okorie, for allegedly making inciting statements regarding the incident, added that such remarks were tantamount to instigating youths towards violence and destruction of lives and properties.

    But in a quick reaction, the House of Representative member denied making any inciting statements, stressing that what he did was to ensure that materials for the election were peacefully distributed. He described the allegation as a case of mistaken identity by the commissioner.

    The situation degenerated to an extent that the PDP South East Publicity Secretary, Ali Odefa and a brother to Obasi Odefa engaged in verbal exchanges with the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Finance, Timothy Odaa over the incident, with both men accusing each other of being responsible for the incident and attempting to manipulate the electoral process to favour their candidates.

    In Izzi Local Government Area, a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to the chairman of the council was vandalised while the driver, Godwin Obasi, was admitted at the hospital with machete cuts all over his body after thugs loyal to a party stalwart in the area descended on him in the wake of conveying policemen and electoral materials to Igbeagu Ward 1 of the council.

    In Ohaukwu, violence erupted in the wake of the elections after one of the factions that lost the primaries attacked electoral officers of the party and carted away the electoral results.

    It was also gathered that the crises led to the hospitalisation of at least two persons with varying degrees of injuries from machete cuts even though they are not believed to be in critical condition.

    The State Working Committee of the party cancelled all the primaries held in Afikpo Local Government Area of the state and some wards in Onicha and Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

    A statement by the state chairman of the party, Prince Ugorji Ama-Oti gave the list of wards to include Obegu Ward in Onicha Local Government Area, Effium wards two and three in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

    Protest over alleged police cover up

    Two days later, over 500 indigenes of Ekoli Edda, Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, protested the alleged killing of the youth, Ogbu, during the PDP councillorship primaries in the state.

    The protesters who were mainly aged women and men, were seen outside the state police headquarters carrying placards.

    Some of them read: “Police stop covering up the truth”, “Punish Stanley and Etta for killing Kalu Ogbu”, “Let the truth prevail, arrest the killers now – Stanley”, “Stanley should be held responsible”, “Murder is crime, police should arrest Stanley”, “killer shouldn’t be given opportunities to head and rule”, “Stop playing politics with the life of our people”, among others.

    The victim, who hails from Amaeke Ward1, was killed on July 22nd, as he came out to be part of the councillorship election in Ekoli Edda.

    The protesters, who cried out for justice, alleged that one Stanley was the person who killed Ogbu during the PDP councillorship primaries. They also accused the police of arresting innocent persons who had nothing to do with the ugly incident.

    But the Command’s spokesman, Igbo, charged the people to desist from making statements they could not substantiate.

    He said the police arrested and released the alleged suspect because nobody from the community came to the police station to indict him (the suspect).

    “It is not good for people to make a statement which they cannot prove. Somebody was shot at the venue of the PDP primaries, but nobody came to tell the police that the person arrested was the person who committed the crime. We are still investigating the matter and as we get overwhelming evidence on the suspect, we can agree with them.”

    Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mrs. Ugo Nnachi and Nze Nnachi Nkamaiye called on the police to make effort and arrest the alleged suspect to avoid crisis in Ekoli Edda community.

    “The brother of the victim took the lifeless body of his brother to their compound and later retrieved it because some stakeholders decided to offer him N2 million and also make him the next councillor of his ward,” she further alleged.

    Despite the protest, the police seem not interested in bringing the culprits to book.

    Speaking with The Nation, Eni Uduma alleged that the Police is still holding an innocent member of the community as suspect in the matter which he alleged has nothing to do with the case.

    He also alleged that the Police refused to take the statement of the women and other witnesses who were present at the scene of the shooting. He therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to take over the matter, adding that some top police officers handling the matter have been compromised, hence the cat and mouse game the police is playing to a murder investigation.

    “I call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar to take over the matter and assign it to officers who are honest and have their integrity intact; who will look at issues dispassionately, make arrest, conduct investigation and charge the prime suspect to court for murder.

    “I’m not satisfied with the investigation being carried out by the police. They are covering up the suspect. The actual person who did the shooting is not in police custody. We are talking about the shooting and killing of Kalu Ogbu in Ogbaja Ward on 23rd July 2013 in broad day light witnessed by a thousand people who have come to volunteer their statement to the police. The police are sweeping it under the carpet. I keep saying, you can bend the truth, twist it, distort it but you can never destroy it. The truth will always surface”, he concluded.

    A source at the police headquarters in Abakaliki, denied the allegations adding that the police is doing a thorough investigation. The source noted that the suspect in custody was fingered by some eye witnesses in the matter in their statements. He denied that the police refused to take statement of the women who came to protest at the station.

    “The women protested at the gate and left, they did not come into the station to give statement. We will be happy to take their statement and others because that is very important in solving the matter,”‘ the source added.

    The report of the investigation is expected to be out by next week, said the source.

    It was also gathered that the lawmaker has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to take over the case because he was not satisfied with the way the police is handling it.

     

  • ‘How to prevent religious, political extremism’

    ‘How to prevent religious, political extremism’

    urists, political and religious leaders gathered in Lagos last week to explore how to collaborate for a better society free of extremism.

    It was at an annual lecture organised by Aelex, a law firm. It had the theme: In God’s name: politics, religion and economic development.

    Participants, who cut across the professions, sought an end to religious conflicts which are disrupting socio-economic development.

    At the event were former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd); Justice Benedicta Molokwu (rtd); Justice Funmilayo Atilade and Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okogie of the Lagos State High Court; retired Anglican Bishop, Rev. George Bako; Editorial Board Chairman of ThisDay, Segun Adeniyi; Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN); Secretary, Arewa Consultative Youth Forum, Comrade Sulaiman Tijani, and Managing Partners of Aelex, Funke Adekoya (SAN) and Soji Awogbade.

    Speakers argued there must be limits at which politics and religion interfere, otherwise the nation may never get out of its present predicament.

    Participants also argued that there was need for the various religions to teach its followers the core values of the religion, as well as curb its excesses, bearing in mind that its rights and privileges stops where another religion begins.

    It was agreed that to draw a clear cut line between political and religious excesses, a new constitution that will be agreed upon by Nigerians through negotiations was inevitable.

    Participants said politics and religion work hand-in-hand, and the persecution, restrictions, harassment and marginalisation of various religious groups or communities across the world have resulted to the reprisals evident across all the continents.

    An Associate Director of Religious Freedom Project, Georgetown University, United States, Prof. Timothy Shah, delivered the guest lecture where he noted that the most violent, system-wide global security upheavals tend to arise when the fuel of radical ideology is thrown on the fire of a “revolution in rising expectations.”

    He said a revolution in rising expectations occur when widespread popular expectations about social circumstances were rising, while actual social conditions were stagnant or declining.

    “We should not be complacent and say it cannot happen here. It is happening in otherwise peaceful communities. It is happening everywhere,” he said.

    Shah said there was a growing “gaping global religious freedom deficit”.

    “Given the dangers and pervasiveness of revolutionary religious militancy as a global security challenge, it must become a leading priority for the US intelligence and policy communities to closely monitor and pro-actively counter the radicalisation of religious groups across the world.

    “Religious freedom fosters human capital; service oriented NGOs, attracts a diversity of immigrants and builds social networks, which all promote economic prosperity.

    “There is no viable strategy in the face of the threats of religious militancy than what might be called a strategy of comprehensive religious security. That is aggressively promoting religious security for all groups in every society.

    “Such a strategy is likely to reap a wide array of benefits. On one hand, it is likely to diminish the likelihood of religious militancy, violence and political instability-dangerously interrelated dynamics that are too intense and common in our world of rapidly rising expectations.”

    Justice Akanbi who chaired the occasion, noted that the solution was not squarely legal but also moral. He said there was need for Nigerians-leaders and followers-to practice the core principles of their religion, which is love and peace.

    “We need to educate the people in the values of religion. No religion preaches war or violence. Religious leaders have to be sincere and preach the word of God to the understanding of their followers. When you get power, you must agree within yourself to be a changed man.

    “We have to sit down and talk to set standards for greatness. Nigeria has every quality to be great but people need to be educated from childhood,” he said.

    Mrs Adekoya said the law as a regu lator either through the constitution or a legislation should be employed to balance the conflicting interest of politicians and political parties, religious bodies, in order to allow for development.

    She said it was important that Nigerians sit down and negotiate on certain terms which shall be biding on all parties, and allow for economic development.

    “When there is a defining law in place which all parties agree to, then, discrimination or even child slavery will fizzle out. All parties will know the limit they can go and the economy will thrive.”

    Awogbade, in his opening remarks, said the law firm chose the topic as a result of the challenges the country was facing. He said though their duty was ‘lawyering’, they realised that many Nigerians have looked away from foundational issues, hence, they want to wake people up, especially now that religious and political violence have found their way into the polity.

     

     

  • My suspension political, says Ondo lawmaker

    The suspended lawmaker representing Ose Constituency in Ondo State, Mrs. Fola Olasehinde, at the weekend urged members of the House of Assembly to rescind their decision and reinstate her.

    She said the allegation levelled against her was politically-motivated, adding that they should allow her perform her parliamentary role as a representative of her constituents.

    Mrs. Olasehinde was suspended by the Assembly on June 19 for allegedly keeping fetish objects in her former apartment.

    The lawyer-cum-politician and a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) said from observation, her colleagues, who placed her on a three-month suspension, were not ready to keep to the stipulated time.

    According to her, a committee, headed by Mr. Olotu Fatai, was constituted by the House to look into the allegation and submit its report within two weeks, but nothing had been heard on the issue.

    She said such an action was humiliating despite her commitment to the success of the LP.

    Mrs. Olasehinde, who spoke to The Nation in Akure, said the allegation on fetish objects was fallacious, stressing that she was being punished unnecessarily.

    She said: “I rented an apartment from Chief Ogunbadejo in 2009 and vacated the place in September 2012.

    “To my surprise, nine months after I left, my former landlord alleged that he found some fetish items in the apartment.

    “The house has two apartments that share one pumping machine.

    “When I was vacating, I dropped the key to the place where the pumping machine was kept.

    “Why would the landlord allege that I didn’t drop the key when he is aware that his second tenant would not have had access to water if I didn’t drop the key?”

    The lawmaker said Mr. Ogunbadejo went to the house with a court bailiff, a police officer and his own lawyer on June 4 to allegedly break into the apartment after which they signed a document that read “nothing was found”.

    Her words: “Why did the landlord allege that he found fetish items two weeks after he confirmed that there was nothing in the apartment?”