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Don’t Skew Electoral Act To Suit Personal Ambition, Wike Tells NASS
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says amendment of the Electoral Act by the National Assembly would be mere charade if the card reader was not to be used to determine the validity of every vote cast.
The governor observed that several attempts to achieve a credible electoral reform had been marred by overriding personal ambition of persons with vested political interests within and outside the National Assembly.
Wike, who made this assertion during an interview on Channels TV in Port Harcourt, said because most National Assembly members were often preoccupied with the next election, they tend to skew the Electoral Act amendment to benefit their interests and that of their political parties.
“Why didn’t the President sign the last amendment to the Electoral Act? Because APC as a party had informed the President that if you sign this Electoral Act amendment, you are likely to lose the election. Therefore, don’t sign it. And, of course, the President did not sign the Electoral Act amendment.
“I am not carried away by the antics of the National Assembly. They all know what will make the country to move forward. One, make the election to be transparent by ensuring that all votes are counted. You can achieve that by allowing the card reader to function, so that the figures recorded on the card reader should tally with the transmitted figures.”
On the appointment of new service chiefs, the governor advised them to shun politics, and concentrate on strategy that would enable them to expeditiously end insurgency in the country.
Wike noted that lots of Nigerians had lost confidence in the former service chiefs, thus, the clamour for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack them.
The governor, who applauded the President for eventually listening to the cry of the citizens, advised the new service chiefs to preoccupy themselves with mapping out strategy that would improve the security architecture of the country.
“They must understand that the challenges are enormous, and so, they have a lot of work to do. They should not concern themselves with politics. Part of the problem we had with the former service chiefs, was that they were involved in politics. Instead of concentrating on the security of the nation, they were very much involved in politics. Nobody can deny that fact. The moment you politicise security, then, you are bound to have problems.”
Wike accused former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai of political bias.
To buttress this, he cited the arrest and detention of recruits of the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, who were undergoing training at the National Youth Service Corps’ Orientation Camp at Norwa, Tai Local Government Area in Rivers State by the Nigerian Army on the directive of the then Chief of Army Staff.
“So many states were setting up their own security outfits, the Chief of Army Staff (General Buratai) allowed it. He never for one day said, ‘look, we cannot allow this’. But, he allowed it. When Rivers State by law set up the Neighbourhood Watch to give intelligence to security agencies, the former Chief of Staff, came into politics. Even when we wrote to the Army, we wrote to the police. The police and Department of State Services were the ones training the people.”
He urged the new service chiefs to bear in mind that though they were appointed by the President, their oath of office and oath of allegiance was to obey the Constitution of Nigeria.
The governor described as erroneous President Buhari’s claim that the security situation in the country has improved far beyond what the situation was when he assumed office in 2015.
“Things have gone very bad. Everybody knows that insecurity has reached the level where everybody was saying change the service chiefs. If it was good, nobody will call for their sack. Even in his party, the APC said the insecurity has gotten to a level we cannot bear again.”
Wike pointed out that despite the withdrawal of $1billion, estimated to be above N450billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to procure arms to fight the insurgents, security has continued to deteriorate.
Speaking on the issue of community policing, the governor noted that both the Federal Government and the police high command were playing politics with the scheme.
“If you want this country to move forward, it is important that the respective governments must take control of security apparatus of their states. I know the local governments, I know the communities, I know the families. So, I should be able to say this is what we should do in policing these areas. Therefore, the need for community policing is necessary, but what is the problem is that the Federal Government comes up to say, they will support community policing, but where have they supported it.
“The police itself will say, oh, we are interested in community policing. Let me tell you what happened in my state. They said they want to do community policing, and they called traditional rulers to seek their cooperation.
“Do you know every name submitted by traditional rulers, local governments, the police changed everything. It became political.”
Wike disclosed that a committee has been set up to work out a possible framework for the establishment of a South-South security outfit.
According to him, when the committee is done, the chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum will announce the outcome.
On the rumour that he intends to run for the office of the president in 2023, the governor said his political detractors were behind the recent circulation of his posters in Abuja.
“Since December last year to this period, we are commissioning projects. So, people are now believing that with the commissioning of projects, he may have intention to run for president.
“They have money to print posters for me. I thank them for telling Nigerians that they want me to run for president. No Nigerian can say I have ever met him, discussed with him that I want to run for President. That does not mean I am not a qualified person, but I have never come out to say I want to run.”
The governor said though it was his constitutional right to aspire for the office of the president, but his present interest was the delivery of dividends of democracy to Rivers people.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.