Politics
APC Calls For Oyo LG Poll Cancellation
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for cancellation of the local government election in Oyo State as it described it as a “sham which is capable of causing the pacesetter state untold disrepute if allowed to stand”.
It, therefore, called on the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to cancel the exercise and reschedule it for another day when it will be ready to conduct a free, fair, and credible poll.
Reports from across the state indicated that cases of non-availability of election officials, disenfranchisement of eligible voters, shortage of voting materials, violence, and threat to life were recorded while the electoral commission appeared helpless to rescue the situation even as voters waited endlessly in most the places affected.
In a statement issued Saturday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC regretted that “another opportunity to deepen democracy and return power to the people at the grassroots had to be missed due to the insensitivity and insincerity on the part of the ruling class in the state.
“With what is happening at the moment in most Polling Units across the state, Gov. Seyi Makinde has again disappointed the whole world. He promised the people that their votes would count today but the opposite is the case. The good people of the state desired to participate in an election to elect a new set of council officials but what they are experiencing is nothing but a sham.
“Even if OYSIEC comes out later to declare all the candidates of the APC, we would not rate this election as credible and acceptable as it falls below the minimum global standard of election conduct.
“The best thing is for the Commission to suspend the exercise and choose another date for proper conduct rather than continue to connive with a few anti-democratic elements in the ruling PDP to perpetrate electoral fraud and desecration of democracy in the land.
“For the avoidance of doubt, OYSIEC started with back and forth position on the need to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) the for the conduct of the poll.
“Few days ago, the Commission recruited PDP members as its adhoc staff and this same set of people were saddled with the responsibilities of conducting today’s poll and they have been carrying out the script given to them by the powers-that-be in the state. What could be the rationale behind taking 500 pieces of ballot papers to a Polling Unit where about 1,500 registered as eligible voters?
“OYSIEC failed to mobile officials to attend to prospective voters in key polling units while it also released inadequate voting materials to virtually all the polling units. In most Polling Units, officials of the Commission did not arrive untill 12 noon when most voters had left for their respective homes in frustration. This aptly validated the suspicion that the PDP had handed a script to the Commission to implement in their favour.
“In the 10 local government councils of Oke-Ogun, the official result sheets known as Form EC8A were withheld by OYSIEC’s Electoral Officers while political thugs were unleashed on some members of the opposition who asked questions in places like Kajola, Olorunsogo, Itesiwaju, Ibarapa East, Lagelu, Ido, Oyo East, Atiba, Oluyole among others. The chairman of our party in Ibarapa East, Mr. Segun Ojediran, was violently attacked by the PDP thugs in Eruwa and he is now receiving treatment in a private hospital.
“OYSIEC has failed to accommodate more than 80 per cent of the eligible voters in the state today and there is no way the meagre 20 per cent of people who were lucky to cast their votes in a lawful manner can decide the fate of the vast majority. Obviously, the Commission allowed a few people to cast their votes at the polling units while the balance of majority rights to vote was secretly handed down to the PDP. Any electoral victory given behind close door is illegitimate, tainted and unacceptable. Therefore, we call for the total cancellation of the whole exercise as it was done today,” APC alleged.
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to pay the withheld salaries of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU).
This followed the adoption of a Motion of Urgent Public Importance by Rep. Abubakar Fulata (APC-Jigawa) during plenary on Wednesday.
Presenting the motion, Fulata said that the government must accede to the unions’ demands because they were genuine.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the President to direct the relevant bodies to come up with modalities for negotiation with both ASUU and NASU.
The House said this would enable them to come up with workable, implementable and final agreement to be signed by both parties.
The House urged the president to direct the Ministry of Finance, to ensure full implementation.
The House mandated its Committees on University Education, Polytechnic Education, Federal Colleges of Education, Labour and Productivity, Finance, Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
The bill seeking to prescribe salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits of Judicial office holders in Nigeria has passed second reading at the Senate.
This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Lola Ashiru (APC-Kwara) at plenary on Thursday.
Presenting the bill, Ashiru said the bill, an executive bill, was forwarded to the two Chambers of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, in accordance with provisions of Section 58(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
He said the bill, in a nutshell, seeks to prescribe salaries, allowances and fringe benefits for judicial officers in order to nip in the bud, the prolonged stagnation in their remuneration.
This, he said was to reflect the contemporary socio-economic realities of the time.
Ashiru said the bill intends to unify the salary structure, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial officers holders both in the Federal and at the State levels.
“This proposed legal framework, undoubtedly, will bring about significant improvement in the welfare, capacity and independence of the Judiciary, which have been contentious issues of public discourse over the years.”
He said that the intent of the bill was in conformity with the current administration’s resolve to strengthen the country’s Judiciary and the criminal justice system .
This, he said was to ensure its independence in the performance of its constitutional role, as the arbiter of the temple of justice.
He urged the senators to support the expeditious passage of the bill in view of its importance to the socio-economic and political development of this country.
Sen. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno), who seconded the motion said it was necessary to ensure adequate remuneration of Judicial officers was in line with the current economic reality.
He said that there was the need to provide an adequate remuneration that would prevent judicial officials from being tempted for corruption.
Sen. Orji Kalu (APC- Abia ) commended the executive for presenting the bill to prescribe a remuneration for the judicial arm of government, saying that no right thinking Nigerian would want to oppose it.
He urged the officials to ensure that justice is dispensed rightly to Nigerians.
He also urged the government to improve remuneration of other sectors given the economic reality.
Deputy President of Senate, Barau Jubrin (APC-Kano) said the President has done creditably well by presenting the bill for remuneration of the judicial officials.
He said the judicial officials had suffered in silence for as they were not disposed to speaking up on the issues, just like the labour unions.
He said it was cheery and commendable for President Tinubu to have brought the bill, which was designed to enhance the salary and welfare of the judicial officials.
President of Senate, Godswill Akpiabio said presentation of the bill was a right step in the right direction by President Tinubu.
Akpabio, referred the bill to the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative inputs and to return back to plenary in four weeks, after the bill was read for the second time.
Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, has fixed May 28 for hearing in the substantive application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Dr Ganduje is challenging his suspension from the party by factional ward executives led by one Basiru Nuhu Isa.
He was first suspended by APC Ganduje Ward executives led by one Haladu Gwanjo on April 15. Another faction emerged and also announced suspension of Dr Ganduje on April 20.
The Tide source reports that the secretary of the party in Kano, Zakari Sarina, said the suspension by the faction was another case of impersonation.
Dr Ganduje is seeking a declaration that his suspension from the party without giving him opportunity to defend himself amounts to violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing.
He is also seeking a declaration that his suspension by the faction was unlawful, null and void.
Counsel for the embattled APC chairman, Hadiza Ahmad, applied for service on the respondents by substituted means which the court granted.
Justice Liman adjourned to May 28 for hearing in the matter.
-
Niger Delta5 days ago
Oborevwori Lauds Tinubu’s Withdrawal Of Army From Okuama
-
Sports5 days ago
Bayelsa To Host 2024 NWFL Super Six Tournament
-
News2 days agoMilitary Plans Invictus Centre To Aid Wounded Soldiers’ Recovery
-
Niger Delta2 days agoD’Gov Tasks Bayelsa Prime Operators On Effective Teacher Supervision, Sustainability
-
News5 days ago
Northern Elders Kick Against Cybersecurity Levy
-
Politics5 days agoBill To Prescribe Salaries, Allowances Of Judicial Officers Pass 2nd Reading
-
News2 days agoNigeria’s Oil Production Grows Marginally By 4% To 1.28mbpd
-
News5 days agoRSG To Establish Conflict Prevention, Peace Committee In 23 LGAs