Politics
CSOs Submit Petition At Lagos Assembly, Insist On Bawa’s Removal
Frontline Anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) yesterday, submitted a petition to the Lagos State House of Assembly, as their protest for removal of the EFCC Chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa entered day four.
The coalition of CSOs, which began a weeklong protest in Ikeja on Sunday, on Tuesday took the protest to the assembly and submitted a petition against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss.
They alleged that the EFCC under Bawa had politicised operations and had perchant for disobeying lawful court orders and infringement on human rights.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the coalition, comprising scores of anti corruption CSOs on Sunday started daily protests at Ikeja, calling for the sack of the EFCC chairman.
It would also be recalled that the Kogi High Court in Lokoja on Feb. 5, ordered the arrest and remand of the EFCC chairman in prison for disobeying a court order.
However, EFCC had filed a motion at Court of Appeal to stop the execution of judgment of the Kogi High Court which ordered the committal of its chairman to prison for disobedience of court order.
The activists, who marched through the streets of Ikeja on Tuesday and converged on the Lagos state house of assembly, Alausa, noted that the majority of Nigerians were intelligent people, who could easily differentiate between a genuine cause by the EFCC and sponsored ones.
Vowing not to be intimidated, the protesters added that there was no going back on the call for Bawa’s removal.
A leader of the coalition and Director, Activists for Good Governance, Mr Declan Ihekaire, alleged that the activists had uncovered plans by some supposed CSOs to discredit the coalition’s genuine cause.
“We are waiting for them. We don’t expect them to fold their arms. But no amount of falsehood can cover the truth.
“We have been on this struggle for close to a week now. All what we want is for Bawa to leave that office so the commission can be sanitised. “He that comes to equity must come with clean hands,” Ihekaire said.
According to him, there still God-fearing EFCC officials.
Spokesperson for the Transparency and Accountability Group, Mr Ayodeji Ologun, who spoke shortly after protesters arrived at the assembly, said that EFCCshould be seen to respect court orders, respect the rule of law and believe in fair hearing.
Ologun said: “What we are agitating against is his disobedience of the courts and the brazen politicisation of the EFCC.
“The IGP should immediately effect his arrest in line with the court ruling.
“Before Bawa can appeal against a court order sending him to prison, he must obey the order first. This is settled in law.
“Recently, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, directed ASUU to first comply with an order of the National Industrial Court ( NIC) directing them to suspend their strike before their appeal could be heard.
“Also, just last week, the EFCC itself arrested a senator for refusing to go to prison after he was sent there by the Federal High Court. This is despite his appeal against his sentence.”
“Appeal or no appeal, Bawa must report to Kuje prison. His appeal can’t be heard until he complies with the valid court ruling sending him to prison.”
He disclosed that the CSO leaders were at the assembly to submit a petition on Bawa’s disobedience of court orders and the politicisation of the EFCC to the National Assembly through the Speaker of the state assembly.
Another activist, Mrs Funmilayo Ajayi of the Community Women Initiative, added: “All we are telling him is obey our courts, let us preserve the integrity of our legal system.
“If the head of a frontline anti-corruption agency is being controlled by a few people in the political space, and he is breaking the law with impunity, it portends danger for our democratic system and the wellbeing of the society at large.”
The ‘Bawa Must Go’ protests are being led by the Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Mr Debo Adeniran; Executive Director, Centre for Public Accountability, Mr Olufemi Lawson; the Executive Director, Zero Graft Centre, Kolawole Sanchez-Jude; the Chairman, Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, Mr Toyin Raheem; and Ahmed Balogun of Media Rights Concern.
Other activists present at the protest were Messrs Ochiaga Jude, Cletus Okedube, Johnson Areola, George Sanda, among a host of other notable activists, lawyers and women’s rights NGOs. (NAN)
Elections: PWDs demand inclusion in electoral processes, access to polling units
February 14, 2023 by Auta Justina
Elections: PWDs demand inclusion in electoral processes, access to polling units
PWDs
By Justina Auta
Abuja, Feb. 14, 2023 (NAN) Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD), Tuesday, have demanded for inclusion in the electoral process at all levels and access to polling units nationwide.
The network, in collaboration with the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative(WRAPA) made the call during a walk and presentation of the charter of demand for women with disability to the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.
Hajiya Zainab Abdulrasheed, Programme Officer WRAPA, said the removal of any physical barrier faced by PWDs during election day and in the electoral processes would enable them vote in line with Nigeria’s polling system.
Abdulrasheed, stressed the need for election management bodies and other stakeholders to protects the rights of women and PWDs, urging them to include them in the implementation of electoral processes in Nigeria.
“Part of it is ensuring polling units are accessible for PWDs and be able to participate meaningfully during election to exercise their franchise or voting candidates of their choice.
“ And not be intimidated because inaccessibility of polling units can deter prospective voters from exercising their franchise.
“And this is the right time to promote PWDs especially women in the 2023 election and beyond.”
According to her, the rally exercise was to create more awareness and promote the rights and inclusion of PWDs in the forthcoming election.
She added that an abridged version of a charter of demands that spells out what the provisions of the laws of Nigeria in disabilities rights are pertaining to the PWDs, particularly women in the forthcoming elections was also launched to make their demands known.
“We came to create awareness on this purpose for all stakeholders to come on board and ensure that the forthcoming 2023 election and beyond have to be very inclusive of women with disabilities.
“ And to ensure that their rights are not infringed upon.
“ They should not be discriminated for any reasons, they should be part of any development and governance in any society where they may exist.
“That is why we are here for people to know that they have a rights to vote and be voted for.
“ This activity came at the right time towards the 2023 election, where we know that polling is about to take place and we hope INEC has put in place resources to ensure inclusiveness for PWDs and others alike,” she said.
Also, Ms Rose Daniels, Vice President, decried that women with disability have been relegated to the background in every sector, stressing the need for inclusion, which would empower them and contribute to national development.
“We want to be heard, To be included in the political sphere, we have capable women with disability who can run for offices and be voted for, to be in the parliament.
“We are demanding for our 10 per cent quota which I believe is not too much, to have our space in the national polity,” she said.
On her part, Ms Godiya John, Media and Communication Officer NWD, FCT Chapter, reiterated the need for inclusion of women with disability in all the affairs of the government, adding their right to inclusion should not be denied.
“All we are asking is inclusion in politics, governance, health, education. We are asking of inclusion, our rights to vote, rights to be voted for, rights to education, rights to gainful employment.
“We want government to include us in politics, we want them to know that there is so much ability in us, so much we can contribute to the political sphere of the government.
“ So, we are asking for inclusion, women generally are asking for just 35 per cent, but we are asking for only 10 per cent from government.
“When you empower a woman with disabilities, you empower the nation because most are mothers.
“We have been discriminated and abandoned, but when we are empowered it will go along way in the contribution of the development of the country,” she said.
Responding, Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Winifred Oyekunle, assured the group that issues tabled will be presented to the relevant authorities with a follow up action.
Oyekunle said, “be assured that your issues are always considered as your interest will be protected.
“The Attorney General will do his best as your message will get across and you will be happy with his decision,” she said. (NAN)
Politics
Alia Denies Calling For Ganduje’s Resignation
Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has denied calling for the resignation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.
This was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday in Makurdi by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Tersoo Kula.
The Tide source reports that the CPS was reacting to some media reports that the governor had called for the resignation of the APC national chairman.
Kula said the governor at no time called for the resignation of the APC national chairman.
He said the governor enjoyed a good relationship with the Ganduje-led leadership of the APC.
“It is imperative to clarify that at no point did Governor Alia assembled, attended and sent a representative or participated in any meeting to discuss the removal or call for resignation of Alhaji. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“The Benue State governor remains firm in his support and allegiance to the leadership of the National Working Committee of the APC, under the leadership of Alhaji Ganduje.
“Furthermore, at no point, whether publicly or privately, has the governor advocated or expressed any desire for the resignation of the national party chairman”, he said.
He said the governor was focused on positively changing the fortunes of the state.
“He is alive to his responsibilities as the leader of APC in Benue State and is doing everything legitimate to reposition the party for future victories,” Kula said.
Politics
LP Re-Elects Abure As National Chairman
The embattled national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Julius Abure, has been re-elected for a second term by a unanimous affirmation of delegates despite the protests by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Mr. Ikechukwu Emetu declared him the winner during the party’s national convention that held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday.
Other serving officers of the party were also returned unopposed.
Recall that the NLC had called for Abure’s resignation as party chairman and the immediate constitution of a caretaker transition committee to organize an all-inclusive national convention for the party.
Meanwhile, a factional chairman of the Labour Party in Anambra State, Mr Peter Okoye has boasted that the Nnewi national convention will not stand.
Describing the convention as a sham, Okoye said: “This is not a convention. We are on top of the matter. It’s purely illegal.
“There was no ward congress, no local government congress, no state congress, and now who and who are the elected delegates that are electing the National Working Committee, NWC, members?
“The NLC was not there, TUC was not there, the owners of the party and members of the NEC and BOT members were not there too. So, who is holding the convention?”
Politics
Suswam Blames External Forces For Problems In PDP
Former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being undermined by external forces which have rendered the party ineffective as a viable opposition.
Senator Suswam stated this during a live television interview on Wednesday.
He lamented that the party had since after the 2023 general elections failed to live up to expectations of Nigerians as a viable opposition.
Senator Suswam, who blamed the current PDP leadership for the ineffective state of the largest opposition party in the country, said unless there is an overhaul of its leadership, the party would “go nowhere” because the current leadership has lost focus.
He said, “I think there are subterranean forces inferring in the party and they are determining what is going on in the party. And the leadership is acquiescing to it.
“Subterranean suggests that people are trying to control the party from the outside. They are controlling the party from the outside and they are keeping the party in a comatose state.”
The Benue senator accused the party of refusing to call a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to help resolve some of the issues arising in the party.
He regretted the inability of the party to resolve the fallout of the 2022 presidential primary election which saw a group of five governors work against the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
He added that the inability of the Iliya Damagum-led leadership to discipline erring party members worsened the situation.
Senator Suswam said it was wrong for the party not to have sanctioned the G-5 governors and their allies who openly declared that they would remain in the party and work against its interest.
“They were not sanctioned which made others become emboldened to act anyway they wanted. PDP has been weakened since then,” he said.
He said no serious organisation does that, stressing that, “A serious organisation would apply sanctions” based on the laid down rules as contained in its constitution.
He further accused the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, of occupying the position which belongs to the North-Central zone, following the removal of the substantive chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who hails from the zone.
Amb. Damagum, who was the Deputy National Chairman (North), hails from the North-East zone but was, as permitted by the party’s constitution, made acting chairman after Ayu’s removal by a court order.
The party’s law provides that the deputy chairman from the same region as the chairman takes over in the event of the latter’s removal from office.
Senator Suswam further lamented that “PDP is comatose now, and nothing can happen now,” adding that it was regrettable that politicians are now preferring to hold talks with smaller parties and not the PDP.
Noting that the PDP was at the precipice, Senator Suswam said, “Until we provide that leadership, PDP will not be a viable platform. We need to overhaul the leadership of the party. There is no pretence about it, everybody in PDP knows it. Without discipline and reconciliation, the party goes nowhere.”
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