Politics
Boko Haram And Jonathan’s Presidency
It was reported that just two days to the inauguration of President Goodluck Obele Jonathan as the President of Nigeria on May 29th 2011, the Witches and Wizards Association of Nigeria (WITZAN) claimed to have mobilised 500 witches to Abuja and other parts of Nigeria to prevent any tragic occurrence and ensure peaceful inauguration of the president.
According to reports, in a full page advert in some national newspapers, the witches and wizards said their decision was taken after an emergency meeting at Zuma rock, Niger State of Nigeria.
The Witches and Wizards Assocaition, according to the report also warned President Goodluck Jonathan to take adequate security as “bad people” and disgruntled politicians were planning to cause problem.
There is no gain saying the fact that Nigeria as a nation is at the cross roads of its political history.
Without giving recognition or impetus to the existence of witches and wizards or down-playing the powers and “prophesies of doom” by WITZAN, the prevailing activities and role of the radical and notorious Islamic Boko Haram appear to give credence to the witches and wizards association.
Coupled with the threats by some disgruntled politicians, particularly the Northern Elders or leaders Forum, to make Nigeria ungovernable, if a Northerner was not made (if not appointed) president-forgetting that Nigeria operates democratic system whereby the people elect their president and leaders.
The magnitude of corruption and the barbaric acts of the notorious Boko Haram Islamic sect believe to be sponsored by northern politicians to make good their threats geared against Christians from the South include the killing of Christians, youth corpers, the Suleja church bombing, and many other killings in Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa. All these are horrendous carnages inflicted not only on Christians but to make the nation ungovernable as President Goodluck Jonathan hails from the Niger Delta.
Intelligence reports had shown that there is coordination/cooperation between the Islamic sect, Boko Haram and al-Qaeda’s North African branch.
The bombing on Christmas Day (December 25, 2011) of the Catholic Church at Madalla gave proof to the link of the Boko Haram sect to the Al-Qaeda, a group believed to have sponsored the failed bombing of an American plane on Christmas Day in 2009 by a Northern Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmutalab.
It is against this back drop that the one week city-wide mega crusade organised by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Diocese of the Niger Delta North held in Port Harcourt from Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th, January 2012, becomes very relevant.
The crusade, which featured international Ministers including Bishop Albert Vum, Malaysia, Rt. Rev. Anthony Paggo, Bishop Episcopal Church of South Sudan, 1 Diocese of Kajo-Keji, Rev. Uma Ukpai, Nigeria and the Most Rev’d Ignatius C. O. Kattey, Archbishop, Ecclesiatical Province of Niger Delta and Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North, who was the host, was an expedition undertaken to recover and reposition the country and its people from satanic elements.
The crudade, which had as its theme “Jesus, The Greatest And The Best” was not just an annual religious ritual of the Diocese of the Niger Delta North, but was a vigorious and concerted effort against public evil and satanic manipulations epitomized by corruption, bombing and killings.
The crusade could be said to be an expedition under the Papal – the Most Rev’d Ignatius Kattey’s sanction against the nation’s socio-political and religious heresies.
Is it not indeed a religious heresy, if not, political treason for a religious sect in a country that allows freedom of worship and association to bomb government and public places?
It was Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) who asked “where is the man who owes noting to the land in which he lives? Whatever the land may be he owes to it the most precious thing possessed by man, the morality of his actions and the love of virtue.
What will the righteous do in times like this when those who owe nothing to the land holds the rest to ransom.
Whatever the nation may be, the righteous owes the land the most precious thing possessed by man, the morality of his/her action and the love of virtue.
Speaking at the opening day of the crusade, the Most Rev’d Kattey reiterated the power in the name of Jesus which, he said, remits sin, secures salvation and a strong tower in which individuals and nations run unto for security and peace.
He said, Jesus, who, is the greatest and the best secures, heals and delivers people and nation from all and every problem, be it political, social, religious, economic, health, poverty etc.
Moreover, he said the name of Jesus instills fear in satan and terrorizes satan’s kingdom.
There is no other option available to Nigeria as a nation at this point of its political history where if appear that God has shut up heaven and there is no rain and the locust-hunger, corruption, economic sabotage, disease, pestilence witchcraft and occultist manipulations, oppression have divoured the land than to return to God through Jesus Christ.
A situation whereby witches and wizards, which sole business is to steal, kill and destroy have come out openly to exact authority and influence over governance what will the righteous do? Where are the Elijahs of our time?
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Soye Young-Itiye
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun deploying non-sensitive materials to the zones as it prepares for the 2027 general election.
Acting Chairman of the commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday at a bench-marking meeting with a delegation of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“Right now, all non-sensitive materials are almost ready. In fact, today as we speak here, the non-sensitive materials have been lifted to some zones now,” Gumus said.
She said the commission had completed nine of its scheduled activities and was preparing for the next phase.
“We are preparing for the election next year and we have activities lined up. So far, we have been able to complete nine activities and we are still preparing for the next level of activities,” she said.
Gumus said the commission’s leadership had just concluded a tour of the country’s six zones to assess their level of preparedness.
“The purpose was to go round the zones to see how prepared we are, assess what the zones have put in place, their challenges and what to do. We concluded last week and we can see from our tour that we are really going towards the election proper,” she said.
On Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the acting chairman said production had been completed and distribution to the states was well advanced.
“As of today, we can say that PVCs have been produced and the first, second batches, most of the states have received them. Their PVC collection is ongoing. All those who are supposed to be the voters are supposed to receive their PVCs, and if they don’t have them, it is also another challenge,” Gumus said.
She added that capacity building was under way for staff at the headquarters and in the states, and that the procurement and deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS devices were also ongoing.
On diaspora voting, Gumus said the commission could not proceed for now because the law did not provide for it.
“Here, because we go by the law, in our electoral law, it is not included there, so we cannot go on for the diaspora voting for now until we amend the electoral law,” she said.
The acting chairman said the commission had arranged for its directors to hold an interactive session with the Kenyan team and present papers on the work of their departments.
Leading the delegation, the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina, said the IEBC team was in Nigeria to benchmark ahead of Kenya’s general election in August 2027.
He said the team was studying how Nigeria handled its diaspora population and special voting groups, as Kenya sought to widen voting rights for citizens living abroad.
“Currently we have about 12 of them who voted in the last general election, but there is intention to expand to around, I think, 26,” Parashina said, referring to the countries where Kenyans abroad vote.
He said the expansion was a constitutional requirement backed by Kenyan court rulings, and would be enforced progressively.
Parashina said Nigeria’s election, which he noted would come in two rounds, would be closely watched across Africa.
“Everyone is looking at what Nigeria will do because it is the biggest democracy in Africa. The success of Nigeria remains a great success to Kenya and indeed to the continent,” he added.
The High Commissioner thanked INEC for receiving the team despite a tight schedule and wished the commission success.
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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