Politics
INEC Registers 2.3m Voters In Imo …Solicits Stakeholders’ Cooperation
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has solicited for full cooperation of various stakeholders involved in the electoral process in Imo State for a peaceful, free and fair election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo Prof. Francis Ezeonu, made the appeal at a one day interactive meeting with election stakeholders in the state yesterday.
He noted that the commission had done all within its power in terms of preparation and strategic planning to ensure that the coming elections were free, fair and credible.
Ezeonu said that the commission had mapped out workable guidelines aimed at improving the electoral process and urged all to keep to the rules.
“It is exactly 22 days away from the start of the 2019 election. As part of ensuring inclusiveness in the exercise, we have continued to consult and interact with the different segments of the Nigerian society.
“As you can attest, the election exercise is on course and we have followed the timetable and schedule of activities religiously.
“Out of the 14 statutory activities in the election timetable released on Jan. 9, 2018, we have successfully executed 10.
“The journey to the polling booths starts with the possession of the permanent voters card (PVC).
“At the last count, we have over 2.272 million total registered voters in Imo State. Out of this number, 563,954 are yet to be collected.
“The commission in Imo has done all within its power to make sure those who are desirous collect their cards.
“The commission at different periods evolved initiatives to go to the autonomous communities, wards and local governments for PVC collection and distribution.
“We have retired to the local government offices from where we will continue with the PVC collection till February. 8. After February 8, the collection of PVCs will be suspended until after elections,” he said.
Ezeonu disclosed that the training of supervising presiding officers had started with other categories of election officials to follow immediately, adding that they were already taking delivery of non sensitive materials.
He reiterated the need for the use of Registration Area Camps (RACs) to facilitate the easy deployment of materials on the Election Day.
According to him, the electoral officers will in line with schedule of activities convene stakeholders forum at their respective LGAs next week and circulate the location of RACs in the areas to political parties and other stakeholders.
He said that following popular demand, INEC had relocated result collation centres from local government council halls to public buildings outside the local government premises.
“We have done this to ensure that participants are not at any stage impeded from participating or observing any stage of the process. We will soon be circulating the collation centres as already agreed by stakeholders.
“We urge every person to cooperate to ensure we have a most peaceful election in Imo State,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission has instructed that telephones and other electronic devices capable of taking pictures be not allowed in voting cubicles while collation officers are not permitted to make or receive telephone calls during collation.
NAN also reports that to reduce to a manageable number the persons voting in any polling centre, the commission has introduced Voting Points (VPs) which will be created from polling units.
The participants, in their different contributions, commended INEC for the efforts put out so far for a peaceful, free, fair and credible election in the state.
They urged the commission to institute penalty for electoral process offenders and ensure it implemented all its guidelines for a free and fair election to the later.
The Chairman, Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (IACCE) ACP, W.T. Afolabi from Imo Police Command, who spoke on security arrangements noted that deployment of security personnel to election areas was ongoing.
He said the police and other sister security agencies had been sensitised on their role for a free, fair and unbiased election as well as on movement of election materials.
Afolabi promised adequate security on election days saying any officer involved in election malpractices would face the wrath of the law.
A Traditional Ruler in Nkwerrre LGA, Eze Emmanuel Uzoho, enjoined the commission to live up to expectation, as well as stipulate penalty for electoral offenders as deterrent to others.
The Chairman, Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) Mr Benneth Duru commended and expressed confidence in INEC for their determination to ensure that the election was free and credible in the state.
He said that there was need for the withdrawal of police orderly from the politicians alleging that politicians usually use their orderlies to harass and intimidate the electorate.
The Coordinator, Albino Foundation Imo Chapter, Pastor Victor Ibegbulem thanked the commission for the plan to create a separate line during voting for persons with disability.
He appealed that albinos be allowed to have a separate line inside the hall in the case of intense sunshine.
NAN reports that the stakeholders were drawn from the security personnel, Civil Society Groups, political parties, religious groups, traditional rulers and the media.
Politics
Senegal: Faye Set To Become Youngest Elected African President As Rival Concedes Defeat
Senegalese politician, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, (44), is set to become the youngest elected leader on the African continent.
While Faye’s main rival, Amadou Ba, from the ruling coalition had said a run-off might happen to determine the winner, at least five of the 19 candidates in the race had issued statements to congratulate Faye as of early Monday.
“For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Ba, a former Senegalese Prime Minister, had said.
But as Faye’s lead got wider, Ba called to concede victory in Sunday’s presidential elections, BBC quoted a government official to have said.
Faye’s lead had spurred his followers to troop out in celebration on the streets of the capital, Dakar, on Sunday.
Reports revealed that millions took part in a peaceful day of voting to elect Senegal’s fifth president after three years of unprecedented political turbulence that triggered violent anti-government protests and bolstered support for the opposition.
Faye is a Senegalese politician and a former tax inspector, who also served as the General Secretary of dissolved PASTEF.
He contested the highest political position in the West African country in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko.
Senegalese voters had a choice among 19 contenders to replace Sall, who is stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition leader Sonko.
The incumbent was not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition picked Ba, 62, as its candidate.
In a country of over 18 million people, 7.3 million people were registered to vote, and about 71 percent voter turnout was recorded, Senegal’s State TV reported.
Politics
Writing Judgment For Presidential Election Tribunal Allegation, FG Arraigns One
The Federal Government has arraigned one Chike Ibezim for allegedly defaming Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of Works and Housing.
Ibezim is one of three individuals who alleged that Fashola had written the judgments of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) that dismissed the petitions by the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ibezim was arraigned on Monday before a federal high court in Abuja on a six-count charge.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/434/2023, borders on criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation, among others.
The matter is before Bolaji Olajuwon and has been adjourned till April 15 for continuation of trial.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit an illegal Act to wit: criminal conspiracy; when you jointly agreed to publish a defamatory statement of false allegations in your online social media, the reportera.ng news, against His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, without justification, you thereby commit offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Prohibition, Prevention Act 2015.”
However, Fashola said the allegation was “baseless and defamatory”.
The former minister described those behind the allegations as “agents of destabilisation”.
Politics
Soludo’s Performance Assessment, APGA Tackles LP Chieftain
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has faulted a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Valentine Ozigbo, over his comments that the performance of Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, after two years in office, was “not impressive.”
Mr Ozigbo, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, now a chieftain of the LP, stated during an interactive session with journalists last weekend that he was not impressed about Governor Soludo’s performance and has therefore decided to contest the 2025 governorship election in the state.
He said, “We have seen the leadership of Soludo in two years, and some of you may be impressed, but I am not. After the last election in 2021, I called and wished him well and moved on, and we have never spoken again. My decision was to assess him after two years, and having seen it, I am not impressed, and I want to start holding him accountable.
“I am here to share my thoughts with you, what I think, and no matter how you see what he (Soludo) is doing, you will be more proud when I mount the saddle.
“We need to change the narrative and look for a way to survive. We must fight to rescue Anambra. I am a non-transactional politician. I have several things I can do, but my worry is how we can recover the state and put her on the path of development.
“Zoning is a good thing. But it must be combined with competence to make sense. Don’t pick a renegade just because he is from a certain zone, and don’t pick the best, when you know you can pick one that is better.”
Mr Ozigbo said further, “I respect zoning, and I will be making a case for a single term of four years. Anyone who sees what Alex Otti is doing in Abia State will know that four years is enough time to do a lot of work.
“I will honour that principle of zoning, and I will not need anyone’s push or prompting to do otherwise. I will be ready to do an agreement and do an undertaking that I will do just one term. I also wish to tell you that Peter Obi has been consistent that a southerner who emerges will only do one term.
“It is a settled matter that I intend to run for just one term. I intend to keep faith with the agreement.”
But reacting to the development in a telephone interview with The Tide’s source on Monday, APGA spokesman, Tony Olisa-Mbeki, dismissed Mr Ozigbo’s utterances, insisting he has nothing to offer the people of the state.
Mr Olisa-Mbeki said, “He is a political stooge. What could he possibly bring in? Last I checked, he only managed Transcorp Hotel. Is that a qualification to be a governor in Anambra State? Soludo runs an inclusive government in Anambra; that is why he holds town hall meetings with different sectors. What other approach to governance is Ozigbo talking about?
“Anambra State governance is not for learners like Ozigbo. Ozigbo can’t even give a good lecture; he would be better suited working as a PA to any governor. Ozigbo’s aspirations in the previous gubernatorial contest in Anambra found him trailing in third place under the banner of the PDP, despite the staunch endorsement from former APGA governor, Peter Obi.
“That alone should tell him that APGA is like an apostle’s creed to Ndi Anambra. However, what reforms could Ozigbo propose? Anambra State, under Governor Soludo’s leadership, is a testament to political and socio-economic ingenuity.”
-
Oil & Energy4 days ago
NNPCL Lists Transparency, Accountability, Others, As Transformation Drivers
-
News4 days ago
Trafficking: Beware Of Fake $900 Jobs, NAPTIP Warns Nigerians
-
Focus4 days ago
Reminisces On Tributes To Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja
-
Nation2 days ago
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
-
Opinion22 seconds ago
Good Friday: Timeless Message Of Sacrifice, Redemption
-
Education4 days ago
Bill To Increase UBEC Funding Passes Second Reading
-
News4 days ago
Food Prices Rise In February 2024 -NBS
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
Bayelsa Community Set For Youth Election, Inaugurates Eleco