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2019: Int’l Delegates Arrive Nigeria On Pre-Election Assessment …As Election Observers Condemn Police Brutality In Ekiti
In a bid to effectively monitor the conduct of next year’s general elections, the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), are deploying a joint Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PEAM) to assess preparations ahead of the elections, scheduled for February, 2019.
The statement issued by the groups in Abuja, yesterday, said, the high-level delegation would visit Nigeria from July 12-20, 2018.
Members of the delegation will meet with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, civil society organizations and other stakeholders in Abuja to assess election preparations and explore ways of fostering peaceful and credible polls in the country.
“The delegation will also watch the voting process during the July 14 Ekiti state gubernatorial election. The PEAM will be led by Dr. Pauline Baker, president emeritus of The Fund for Peace (USA).
“Nigeria’s 2015 general elections were widely hailed as a positive step in the country’s democratic development,” Baker said.
“Another set of credible polls in 2019 would further consolidate Nigeria’s democratic gains.”
Baker is president emeritus of the U.S.-based Fund for Peace and a renowned expert in Nigerian politics.
Earlier in her career, Baker lived in Nigeria for 11 years and taught political science for seven years at the University of Lagos.
She has served as an election observer in five Nigerian elections since the restoration of democracy in 1999.
The delegation would include Lauren Blanchard, specialist in African Affairs, U.S. Congressional Research Service (USA); Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa, NDI (Cameroon); Jan Surotchak, regional director for Europe, IRI (USA); and Terry Tselane, vice chairperson, Electoral Commission of South Africa (South Africa).
The mission’s findings would be presented at a press conference in Abuja on July 20, 2018.
Meanwhile, the coalition of election observers composing over 15 bodies, on Friday faulted police on its explanation that it dispersed a rally held by the Peoples Democratic Party at the pavilion in Fajuyi park last Wednesday.
The coalition said using teargas and live shooting to disperse the rally is undemocratic and urged the police to be more proactive by ensuring a more civilized approach in line with global practices.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition to newsmen yesterday, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel,Director General, Centre for Credible Leadership & Citizens Awareness, said: “ In world over, it is necessary to ensure that elections comply with International Best Practice and Globally Accepted Standard, hence, the essence of accrediting reputable Civil Society and Non Governmental Organizations to observe any election is to assess the degree of compliance of the electoral management body (INEC), the Political Parties as well as their supporters to the relevant electoral laws as provided by the Electoral Act of 2010 as Amended, Federal Republic of Nigeria. This essentially is to serve as a parameter for measurement and a term of reference to improving future elections. Thus, election observation increases the level of credibility of a well ordered process of power transition in any defined democratic state. Report of organizations also remains a potent tool in election tribunals or court of competent Jurisdiction.
Consequently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as an electoral body saddled with the constitutional responsibility of conducting elections across Nigeria, after a thorough scrutiny accredited about fifty (50) reputable domestic Civil Society/Non Governmental Organizations and about seven (7) International Organizations to serve as election observers for the Ekiti State Governorship election of 14th July, 2018.
“ Ekiti state has a record of being a serial politically volatile state in Nigeria. This becomes manifest, before, during or after elections.
“ Some killings have been noted in the state in the midst of election campaign.
In all these, as at 9th of July, 2018, Ekiti state has a total number of 913,334 registered voters. A total of 667,064 voters has collected their PVCs, while 246,270 PVCs are yet to be collected. By this medium , we encourage the electorates in Ekiti state to collect their Permanent Voters Cards to enable them exercise their franchise on the 14th of July Governorship election.
“ As part of our pre election observation, we observed the violence and the use of tear gas and firing of live bullets to disperse a rally organized by the PDP. Although, the PPRO of the police in Ekiti state said in his statement that 2 political parties cannot hold rallies simultaneously. For us, the police ought to have used a more pro active way to address the issue.
“ The Ekiti Governorship Election fall into what we may call a staggered election and a precursor to the expectations in the 2019 General Elections. It becomes therefore inherent and a great onus on INEC to ensure that the process is smooth, transparent, free, fair and credible in line with internationally accepted standard.
In another devwlopment, the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers have expressed apprehension about alleged unwarranted attack on the sitting Governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose , just as it appealed to the Police to refrain from further harassment, intimidation and brutality of innocent citizens of the state till the end of election and beyond.
The traditional rulers who stated this in a communiqué issued at the end of their emergency meeting held in Ado Ekiti, implored the people of Ekiti State to be calm and go about their normal duties without fear of molestation.
They said if such a thing could happen to the governor, they wondered what will happen to the ordinary citizens of the state in the course of the election.
In the communiqué signed by the Chairman of the Council, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, they noted that prior to the Wednesday incident; they had held several meetings with the stakeholders in the election. “Council met with the participating party leaders and the gubernatorial candidates with the Police, other law enforcement agencies, the INEC, the civil societies and the diplomatic community.
“During these meetings, the Traditional Rulers had preached peace implored all concerned to be neutral and unbiased. Most especially, we had requested the law enforcement agencies to refrain from intimidation, harassment and brutality of the people.
“We are therefore worried and disturbed that after all our appeal and entreaties, the police still went ahead to unleash mayhem on the Governor and innocent citizens right in front of the Government House.
“What happened yesterday showed that Ekiti State is under siege. We are not in a state of war and we don’t want Ekiti state to be turned into war zone. Election is a civil exercise and it should be so”.
In line with the directives of their national Secretariat, members of People’s Democratic Party in Adamawa State have taken to the streets in protest of police brutality against Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
The protesters who first assembled at the state Secretariat of the party, led a procession to the state police command to register their grievances, arising from police manhandling of the number one citizen in Ekiti State.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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