Politics

Council Polls: As Election Day Dawns, ’Morrow…

Published

3 years ago

April 16, 2021

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will again be missing on the ballot paper tomorrow as Rivers people go to the poll to elect those who will manage their resources at the grassroots level as councilors and chairmen of the 23 local government council areas. In the 2019 state and national elections, the party was barred from fielding candidates for the elections in the state by the highest constitutional court of the land.

In this case, however, the party has chosen not to test its strength, popularity and acceptability by the people and by so doing failing to enrich the electoral process and deepen democratic norm. The people’s scope of choice is eventually also limited as they go out to give their mandate for the next three years at that level. Obviously, the APC could not find itself sufficiently organized and prepared to get into the contest or face Rivers people while still struggling to pull itself together and give itself requisite re-orientation.

What is also worthy of note about the coming Rivers council polls is the Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration’s commitment and determination to entrench democratic ethos within its sphere of control in ensuring that elections at the third tier of government are held as at when due.

For a very long time this would be the first time elections would hold without the usual unconstitutional punctuations of caretaker committees at the local government level. The practice of having the caretaker committee interregnum between three to six months, in the least, had almost become the norm. The expectation by Rivers people is that the savoury tradition would truly be finally put to rest in the state no matter how widespread it is practiced in the country. Rivers State must in this regard blaze the trail for the rest of the states to copy.

Accordingly, there is a very high expectation among indigenes and residents of the state, including the participating political parties that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) will discharge itself creditably in delivering free, fair and credible elections that will equal the high standards already initiated by the state government. So far, there is no indication that RSIEC has been denied or rendered handicapped by insufficient or inadequate logistics support and assistance by the state government or any other relevant critical stakeholder.

The final list of names of political parties that have received clearance from the state electoral umpire shows that a total of 17 political parties will be on the ballot tomorrow. These include: African Action Congress (AAC); Action Democratic Party (ADP); Accord Party (AP); Social Democratic Party (SDP); National Rescue Movement (NRM); Action Alliance (AA); Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Labour Party (LP); Zenith Labour Party (ZLP); Young Progressives Party (YPP); Allied Peoples Movement (APM); All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); African Democratic Congress (ADC); New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Boot Party (BP); Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Action Peoples Party (APP).

“We shall organize and conduct free, fair and credible elections into the 23 local government councils. We shall provide equal opportunities/level playing ground to all the registered political parties. We shall be firm, resolute and impartial. We are men and women of proven track record and we have our reputation to protect”, the chairman of RSIEC, Justice George Omereji (rtd) told stakeholders while urging the Rivers State electorate to “come out en-masse to exercise their franchise in a most peaceful and orderly manner devoid of ill-will, rancor and/or violence”.

Retired Justice Omereji assured the people of the state of a violence-free poll, noting that the commission had secured the assurances of all security agencies in the state of maximum cooperation and assistance to protect lives and property and electoral materials before, during and after the polls. Without a doubt, the well worded statements of the RSIEC boss were not swallowed hook, line and sinker as political parties and candidates, especially, those outside the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued to intone reservations about the commission’s sincerity and courage to match its words with action. While some have expressed fears that RSIEC staff may compromise and give the PDP undue advantage on the field, others have even speculated that results of the election have already been written before the contest at Government House without any iota of proof or evidence.

Clearly, RSIEC has a burden to discharge and an onerous task to dispense justice, fairness and equity as it goes into the field tomorrow because only manifest demonstration of honesty, sincerity, transparency, accountability and integrity will satisfy the stakeholders in the election, guarantee a peaceful atmosphere and truly preserve and promote the good name of the chairman and his commissioners.

The Rivers State Police command which is at the head of providing security during the elections has not been short of giving assurances of adequate protection of lives and property of the electorate as well as electoral officials and their materials. The credibility of any electoral process is validated by the level of voters’ turn-out and the freedom to exercise their civic duty in an atmosphere devoid of intimidation, harassment, inducement or undue pressure. of-course, such state of affairs cannot be achieved in an environment where political thugs and hoodlums are not deterred by the presence of law enforcement agents to apprehend and make them face the full wrath of the law.

Political parties on their part, must be open minded and approach the contest with the spirit of sportsmanship. To this end, they must not force themselves on the people.

After campaigning and selling their agenda to the people, the electorate must be allowed to exercise their right of choice and such rights expressed must be respected. Any attempt to corrupt and/or denigrate the process will be counterproductive and any effort at pulling down the structure because their candidates did not receive the endorsement of the people will amount to being public enemy number one.

Participation in the process alone must be seen as service rendered already and failure to be elected at the poll must not be interpreted as rejection or exclusion from the community. It must be borne in mind that the opportunity to be elected will always present itself as long as the election clock keeps ticking and the democratic orbit keeps revolving. The most important dogma of the political parties must be obligation to play by the rules.

Finally, the people/electorate must approach the elections with all the seriousness it deserves. There should be no room for lethargy or lackluster attitude. The people must understand that if they have to take any election seriously, it is this one as it concerns the leadership and government that they can directly relate with. They must therefore go out in their numbers to vote candidates of their choice without let or hindrance.

Adequate care must be taken to ensure that the process is conducted in a manner that would faithfully represent their wishes. It is therefore expected that electoral officers and security agencies will receive desired cooperation in the discharge of their duties. The people must protect the exercise and make it deliver and enthrone the leadership that they give their mandate to oversee their affairs at that level.

All said and done, it is the responsibility of everyone living and doing business in Rivers State that the local councils elections in the state are conducted peacefully and in keeping with the highest standards of prosecuting the exercise in the best democratic tradition. Indeed, it has to be done in the best interest of the development of Rivers State and those who live in it.

By: Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Rivers Lawmakers’ Defection, ‘Monkey Politics’-CSO

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

The Tide

Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, Budget and Accountability has condemned the defection of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Executive Secretary, Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, Budget and Accountability, Amb. Emmanuel Nkweke, who said this in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt also described as illegal all legislations passed by the defected lawmakers.
Amb. Nkweke described the defection as “monkey politics’, queried the rational behind the action of the lawmakers few months after being sworn into office, adding that members of the civil society community were yet to be told reasons for the defection.
“Up till now, we are yet to be told why they defected just few months of being sworn into office. For me, that is monkey politics”, he said.
He urged the lawmakers to go back to their former party and beg Rivers people for forgiveness, adding that if that is done, they may be welcomed back.
Amb. Nkweke also cautioned the lawmakers not to allow themselves to be used to do the bidding of an individual, adding that the present administration in the state needs the support of all to move forward.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the group has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for giving civil societies the latitude to operate freely in the state.
He alleged that civil societies were caged in the last eight years, adding that there was no breathing space for civil societies in the last eight years in the state.
Amb. Nkweke described civil society as the engine room of democracy as it engages in sensitisation on the policies and programmes of government, regretting, however, that their inputs were never taken into considerations.
“Civil societies give signals, civil society creates the awareness and sensitize the people towards achieving a reliable democracy.
‘’i want to let you know, very frankly, that civil society space in Rivers State, for the past eight years, was suffocated. There was no breathing space, they didn’t breathe. Civil society was dead completely”, he said.
Amb. Nkweke said the situation also affected upcoming activists as some of them had to operate from hideouts.

By: John Bibor

Politics

Sack Incompetent Officials In Your Govt, NANS Urges Tinubu

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

The Tide

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu not to condone incompetent personalities in his government.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, NANS President, Comrade Pedro Obi, expressed concerns about the competence of the Minister of State for Youth Development and the SSA to the President on Student Engagement.
Comrade Obi, after staging a peaceful protest at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), reiterated that the NANS will not be intimidated and will continue to fight for the interests of Nigerian students.
He said, “The message is very simple, we have incompetent people who have been appointed to offices. It’s unfortunate and it’s not the President’s fault, of course he believes in Nigerian youths and has also given us the opportunity to showcase our capacity in various roles that he has given us.
“We have the SSA to the President on Student Engagement, who has shown incompetence. He cannot continue to hold that office and we are calling on Mr. President that he should be sacked with immediate effect.
“Also we have the Minister of State for Youth Development. We are also calling that immediately he should be sacked, because he has left what he ought to do and has dabbled into the affairs of NANS.
“These people have displayed incompetence and are destroying the youth community. There are so many competent youths that President Tinubu can pick from.
“NANS can never be intimidated. This is an organisation that we grew up to meet and we will continue to protect the dignity of this organisation.”
Receiving the NANS on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office in the SGF, Dr. Maurice Nnamdi Mbaeri, assured the NANS of relaying back their complaints to the SGF which he said will land on the listening ears of President Tinubu.
According to him, “I have listened to the complaints you raised. I assure you that your complaints will get to the listening ears of Mr. President.
“Let me assure you that I’m happy this was also re-echoed in the NANS President’s speech that President Tinubu has indebt love for the youths of Nigeria and also for the students of Nigeria. This has been demonstrated by polices that (has) been put in place for the youths.
“I want to assure you that the President has your concerns in his heart and he’s always ever ready to attend to your needs.
“With this, I am going to report back to my boss the SGF, who will take up the matter with the President. I urge you to continue to maintain peace and tranquillity. Don’t do anything that will make Mr. President feel bad about you.”

Politics

Ayu Withdraws Case Against PDP Ahead NEC Meeting

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

The Tide

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, has withdrawn the court action he instituted against the party over his controversial removal from office barely two years into his four year term.
His action has removed legal impediments likely to militate against the emergence of his replacement from the North Central.
Several meetings have been held and being planned following this new development.
On Tuesday, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) passed a vote of confidence on the Ag. National Chairnan, Amb. Umar Damagum, whom members said has discharged his functions creditably.
It was gathered that the North Central Caucus of the party had long before now started mobilizing to ensure that the zone produces Ayu’s replacement to complete his tenure which expires in 2025.
In a related development, Amb. Damagum has held series of meetings with various groups to perhaps shore up his chances of retaining his seat as acting chairman.
He led the members of the NWC on Wednesday to interact with the PDP National Ex-officio ahead of the NEC meeting.
Immediately after the meeting with them, he led the NWC members to another meeting with the State Party Chairmen from the 36 States, including FCT, Abuja.
The meetings were held at the NEC Hall, PDP National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, in Abuja.