Politics
Periscoping 2020 (4)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in partnership with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), on Thursday, September 3, 2020, organised a two-day capacity building workshop for electoral officers in Edo to ensure a credible governorship election on September 19.
The Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Johnson Alalibo, said in Benin that the event was organised towards achieving a free, fair and credible governorship election in the state.
The Centre for Liberty (CL) and the Society for Promotion of Better Rivers State (SPBRS) tasked the National Assembly to give priority to the speedy passage of the Electoral Reform Amendment in the hope that the bill would end electoral malpractices at polls.
The groups which made their position known on Friday, September 4, in Port Harcourt also issued the National Assembly December, 2020 deadline for the passage of the bill, nothing that its expedience would help INEC test run the Electoral Act in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election.
Project Leader of Centre for Liberty, Ariyo-Dare Atoye noted that the December, 2020 date was appropriate because the political climate was yet to be polarized by partisan politics.
Erstwhile Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, on Saturday, September 5, emerged the senatorial standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Bayelsa West Senatorial District by-election.
The former governor’s candidature was affirmed by all the delegates to the party primaries as he was unanimously returned unopposed as the sole candidate.
For the first time since he met the President of the United States, Donald Trump in Washington in April, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed on Tuesday, September 8, that Trump unequivocally accused him of killing Christians in Nigeria.
However, he said he defended himself, telling Trump that the conflict between farmers and herders in Nigeria was caused by cultural matters and not dictated by ethnic or religious factors.
Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolopkolo, Oba Ewuare II, called for the protection of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that were to be deplored as adhoc staff for the September 19 governorship election in Edo.
Oba Ewuare II made the call when the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday, September 10, in Benin City.
A clash of political thugs on Wednesday, September 9, at Alade Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area left one person dead.
With many others injured during the fracas, it was reported that the deceased, simply identified as Taye, was said to have been challenged by thugs alleged to be APC members for spotting a Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) fez cap.
Socio-Economic rights and Accountability Projects (SERAP) instituted a legal action against Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
SERAP accused them of failing to publish reports of all completed public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly since 1999.
In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1065/2020 filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP sought an order of mandamus to compel Lawan and Gbajabiamila to release the findings.
The suit was sequel to SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) requests dated July 25, 2020.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, September 15, denied that he accused members of the National Assembly of fraud concerning contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Akpabio, had, during an investigative hearing at the House of Representatives claimed that 60 per cent of NDDC contracts went to the federal lawmakers.
However, as the House threatened to initiate a criminal complaint of perjury and explore the possibility of a civil defamation suit against him, Akpabio denied he ever referred to members of the 9th House of Representatives as beneficiaries of contracts in NDDC.
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Governor of sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal said that election rigging was akin to a coup d’etat, saying both deprive citizens of leaders of their choice.
Tambuwal who made the remark in a statement on Tuesday, September 15, while commemorating the 2020 International Day of Democracy, said it had become very imperative to strengthen the electoral process, so as to restore public confidence in the country\s democracy.
Elder statesman and play wright, Prof. Wole Soyinka said that the country was more divided as never before under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Soyinka, in a statement signed from his autonomous residence in Ijegba, Idi-Aba Estate, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Tuesday, September 15, titled “Between Dividers-in-Chief and Dividers-in-law”, said though he was not a fan of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, he could not but embrace any accurate reading of this nation as a contraption teetering on the edge of total collapse.
The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2019 Kogi State governorship election, Natasha Akpoti, lauded the United States of America for Slamming visa ban on those who allegedly rigged Kogi and Bayelsa elections. The United States, on Monday, September 14 said it had imposed visa restriction on some individuals if considered responsible for rigging during the Kogi and Bayelsa State governorship elections in 2019.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP came out victorious on Saturday, September 19, in the Edo State governorship election. He defeated his closest rival, Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polling a total of 307, 955 votes against APC’s 223, 619 votes.
The governor, in his appreciation message in Benin City, on Sunday, September 20, hailed President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other stakeholders who participated in the conduct of the gubernatorial election for ensuring a free, peaceful and credible poll.
President Muhammadu Buhari commended the electoral process in Edo State which led to the victory of Governor Godwin Obsaseki as declared by INEC.
The president’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a tweet on Sunday, September 20, said Buhari also commended the people of Edo State, the political parties, candidates and security agencies for conducting themselves responsibly.
“My commitment to free and fair elections is firm because without free and fair elections, the foundation of our political and moral authority will be weak”, Buhari said.
Former National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said that the outcome of the Edo State governorship election should serve as a big lesson to the political leaders and political parties not to take the electorate and the people for granted.
Speaking shortly after the emergence of Governor Obaseki as winner of the poll, Oyegun, a former governor of Edo State, argued that the people had not only proven to be wiser than their leaders but were also ready to punish the leaders when they step out of line.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, September 22, presented Certificate of Return (CoR) to the winner of Saturday, September 19 governorship election in Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and his running mate, Mr Philip Shaibu.
The ceremony took place at the collation centre, at the state headquarter of INEC in Benin City .
The Edo governorship election Returning Officer, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, had on Sunday, September 20, declared Obaseki of the PDP winner of the governorship election in the state.
Rim-Rukeh had declared Obaseki winner after polling 307,955 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Pastor Osagie-Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who garnered 223, 619 votes and 12 other candidates.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of Edo, Bayelsa and Rivers States, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, presented the certificates of return to the governor-elect and the deputy governor-elect.
Some members of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, the upper legislative chamber, were reported to have petitioned the Commonwealth over the persistence of insurgency and farmer/herder crisis in Nigeria.
The lawmakers, in a letter dated September 14, 2020, addressed to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, said failure of the Federal Government to protect Nigerians was a breach of its obligations under the Commonwealth Charter.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, on Thursday, September 24, shunned the Senate when summoned to brief lawmakers of 2020 Budget performance.
The minister’s refusal to appear before the Senator Barau Jibrin-led Senate Committee on Appropriation was the second time in two weeks.
The Federal Government, on Thursday, September 24, said the nation would mark its 60th Independence anniversary for one year in a low-key and staggered ways.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the disclosure in Abuja at a briefing by a three-man media sub-committee of the event, including the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq.
By: Opaka Dokubo
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
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