Politics
CVR Exercise In FCT Wobbles
The nationwide 2018 second quarter Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) has remained at a low ebb in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since it began last Tuesday.
The exercise has been characterised by late commencement daily in spite of impressive turnout by people willing to register.
Reports say the situation is endemic in Gwagwalada Area Council, where the exercise had not started before 11 a.m. each day.
Late arrival of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials at registration centres, claims of lack of petrol to power generators or faulty generators and constant unavailability of public power supply are responsible for the daily delay.
On Thursday, people who arrived at the centre in Gwagwalada for the exercise were in long queues at 8 a.m. waiting for INEC officials to arrive.
When the officials arrived, one of them, Mr Peter Joseph, who refused to disclose his official designation, attributed the delay to lack of power supply.
“We have to wait for the Area council to power their generator before we can commence, and even when we have power supply, we have just one printer in the centre.
“We have only two functioning laptops to serve the crowd waiting to be registered,” he said.
Joseph said that if logistics were in place, there won’t be delays in carrying out the exercise at the centre.
He, however, appealed to the eager crowd to be patient, assuring that the officials would work extra hours “if need be’’, to ensure that many people are registered before closure of work for the day.
He explained that INEC was aware of the delays and was working towards a better exercise for the quarter.
One of the persons waiting to be registered, Mr Yusuf Atede, said that he was unable to register during the last exercise, and urged INEC to improve on its arrangement.
“In spite of all my efforts to be registered during the first quarter, here I am again in the struggle just to get my Permanent Voter Card (PVC).
“I arrived at 8.15 a.m. and I was surprised not to find any INEC official, only officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were around,” he said.
A student of University of Abuja, Mr Chinedu Uba, said he was getting fed-up with the struggle to register.
He called on INEC to make proper arrangements for the exercise before calling on citizens to come forward to register.
“You see, we are just hanging around, both pregnant women and nursing mothers and the weather may change at any time.
“Once the weather changes, everyone will be forced to leave the centre, which means the registration has automatically ended for the day.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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