PDP, APC get set for make-up elections

Ahead of the supplementary governorship elections in Adamawa and four other states, political parties are trading words, just as Catholic Bishops suggest ways to have flawless polls in future, report Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja.

Catholic Bishops seek laws for credible elections in future 

Catholic Bishops have advised President Muhammadu Buhari to enact and implement laws and policies that will ensure free, fair and credible elections.

The Bishops said  the general elections witnessed “crude and reckless use of money to buy votes”.

They demanded that government should acknowledge the inadequacies that characterised the elections and embark on a course for redress.

A communique issued at the end of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held in Abuja and jointly signed by the President, CBCN, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze and the Secretary, Most Rev. Camillus Umoh, reads: “We affirm that elections are an opportunity for people through the ballot to freely choose those who will serve them. We denounce the unfortunate incident of loss of lives and destruction of property, which is ongoing even now. We however, admonish that elections should not be turned into a battle between warriors fighting to capture power and conquer territory and people at all cost. We observe that many of the challenges that emerged during the electoral process were as a result of inadequate electoral laws, which made implementation problematic and at times offered lacunae for evil minded people to exploit the situation to their own advantage.

“Even where the rules were clear, they were not always adhered to. One of the reported phenomena during the elections was the crude and reckless use of money to buy votes; showing how desperate politicians and political parties are determined to get political power at all cost. Bad elections do not lead to good governance. We demand that the government acknowledge the inadequacies that characterized the 2019 elections and embark on a course for redress. We urge her to enact, endorse and implement laws and policies that will ensure free, fair and credible elections in the future.

“We enjoin all Nigerians, leaders and the led, to abide by democratic principles such as respect for human life, human rights and the rule of law. We also encourage the electorate to ensure that those who hold public offices in our country are held accountable. We equally urge all Nigerians to eschew all forms of indiscipline and corruption and be resolute rather than lose hope in our struggle for a better future and nation.”

The Bishops went on: “The 2019 General Elections have come and gone except in some areas where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled supplementary elections for specified reasons. We commend our people for the patriotism and the maturity displayed, and the electorate who in some places came out en masse especially during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to exercise their rights and perform their civic duties. We equally note the voter apathy that characterised the subsequent Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections.

“We believe that this apathy may not have been unconnected with among other things, the violence, malpractice and the unnecessary militarization of the process, all of which contributed to eroding the people’s confidence in the electoral process. We have taken note of those who have been declared winners, and commend the civility of those who rejected the results but have chosen to express their grievances through legitimate means under the law rather than through violence. Whatever the outcome, justice must be seen to have been done. We admonish whoever holds power at the end of the day to remember that power belongs to God and to Him alone. God demands strict accountability for how anyone takes power and uses it, for God cannot be deceived or challenged (Lk 16:2).”

On the recent killings in Kaduna and other states, the communiqué said: “We have received with deep sorrow, the tragic news of the resurgence of further horrific killings in some parts of Kaduna State, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Edo, Rivers, Zamfara, Adamawa and other states. Against the backdrop of the violence and bloodshed that characterized the last elections, we are pained that the culture of death is becoming embedded into our daily lives.

“This persistent devaluation of human life and property poses an existential threat to our personal survival and that of our nation. How can government continue to appear helpless in the face of such shameful tragedy? We strongly appeal to the President, in collaboration with the Governors of Kaduna State and other affected States to seriously take steps to arrest this drift before total anarchy and mayhem consume the entire nation.”

Forum to celebrate Buhari

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Victory Forum has outlined activities to celebrate the party’s success in the 2019 general polls.

Its national coordinator, Dr. Tom Ohikere, said: “The recent victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the polls, the APC’s absolute control of the next National Assembly, and the impressive performance at the gubernatorial and state assembly levels is without doubt a referendum on the performance of the APC so far by the Nigerian people.

“The eventual event will be an all-inclusive two day programme that seeks to project the potential of the party, featuring four main agenda, which will include Pictorial exhibition of APC projects, both at the federal and state levels, National commendation/ awards of key personalities within the APC who have been instrumental in building and facilitating the party into what it is today.

“There will also be the unveiling of a compendium of all our victorious candidates at the 2019 general election. The fourth agenda is a democracy lecture titled: “APC and the Destiny of the Nigerian Nation,” he said.

APC in UK: Nigerians won’t regret re-electing Buhari

The United Kingdom Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that they will not regret re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term.

Mr Ade Omole, the leader of the chapter, gave the assurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

He thanked Nigerians for voting for President Buhari and all APC candidates in the just concluded elections, saying they made it happen in spite of the antics of opposition political parties.

He said Buhari would need the support of well-meaning Nigerians to succeed in his second term in office

Omole said it only required the support of Nigerians to guarantee the needed peace to enthrone good governance that would bring about the desired development.

He said peace was critical to take the country to the next level of economic and infrastructure development and make her the envy of other nations.

Omole said now that the elections were over, politicians should join hands with the President Buhari-led APC administration, irrespective of party affiliations,  to move the country forward in the interest of all.

He said that Nigerians in the Diaspora felt that whatever pains and suffering the people might be going through at the moment would be for the moment.

“Whatever it is we are passing through at the moment, is just a phase which would soon be over with President Buhari on the saddle of leadership.

“All that is required is a bit more sacrifice and support, we are going through refining and like raw gold and we will come out better and shinning,” Omole said.

Adamawa extra election holds in 14 local govts

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the governorship supplementary election scheduled on March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state.

Mr Kasim Gaidam, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Yola.

Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 Wards (Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

“The Commission had prepared for the Supplementary Governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 Wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state,” Gaidam said.

He listed the local areas to include Yola South, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

Other are Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo  local government areas.

Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided by law based only on official registered voters, not Permanent Voters Cards collected or accredited voters.

He said: “Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.”

It could be recalled that the results of the governorship election announced by INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Andrew Haruna shows that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri scored  367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes scored by  incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate.

The margin between them was 32,476 votes.

Bauchi APC: INEC committee denied us fair hearing

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi State chapter has alleged that the fact-finding committee sent by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to probe the irregularities in the governorship election of 9 March denied the party fair hearing.

Its Chairman, Alhaji Uba Nana, made the allegation at a news conference in Bauchi at the weekend.

INEC announced on Friday night that a new returning officer will resume the collation of the Bauchi governorship election results on Tuesday. It also amended the result of four polling units in Ningi local government from 25330 to 2533. The decision meant that the commission will announce the winner of the election thereafter.

“The fact-finding Committee chaired by Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee denied fair hearing to APC as a political party whose agents were not invited during hearing of the facts leading to the cancellation of the results of Tafawa Balewa LGA.

“Any decision taken in violation of fair hearing is illegal, null and void. The composition of the Committee was also questionable as the Committee Chairman, Festus Okoye is a close ally and former solicitor to Hon. Yakubu Dogara of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP),” he said

Nana added  that no justice can be done by the Committee Chairman who is interested in the whole issues and the instant circumstances.

He pointed out that this was proved by the fact that PDP and Yakubu Dogara on Facebook pre-empted the outcome of the Committee’s finding before formal publication by INEC.

The APC chairman said that the decision of INEC based on the Committee’s Report was already prayed for at the Federal High Court, Bauchi in Suit No. FHC/BAU/CS/18/2019 filed by Bala Mohammed and PDP against INEC.

“Unfortunately, the extant decision of INEC reversing the cancellation of Tafawa Balewa Results was earlier sought for but refused by the Court in the said suit at interim stage. Now INEC has granted what was refused by the Court of law in the interest of justice,” he said.

Nana said the Party rejected in totality, the report of the fact-finding Committee on the disruption of collation process at Tafawa Balewa and the subsequent decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reverse its earlier resolution cancelling the entire results of Tafawa Balewa LGA.

He said the position taken by INEC is illegal, null and void having regards to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and INEC Guidelines for 2019 General Elections.

‘I took advantage of ‘Not Too Young to Run’ Act’

House of Representative member-elect Kayode Akiolu (APC-Lagos), said that he took advantage of the “Not Too Young to Run” act to win the February 23 election.

Akiolu, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja, said the Act paved the way for young people to seek political office in the country.

“In Nigeria today, more than half of our population are younger than 30. So, if we’re old enough to vote, we’re old enough to run for office too.

“That’s the idea behind the #NotTooYoungToRun. The campaign initially launched in support of Nigeria’s Age Reduction Bill.

“Signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 31, 2018, it has given young Nigerians like me the opportunity to serve my constituency and my Nation,” he said.

Between 1999 and 2015, the average age of the country’s representatives rose from 43 to 50.5 years.

“All the while, Nigeria’s population trended younger and younger, until reaching its current median age of 18.”Akiolu, who is 38 years, is the son of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu.

“As one of the first few young Nigerians who have benefited from the movement, I will make sure that the act will not be out of order.

“Let’s not forget that the absence of youth in decision-making processes in government has created disillusionment among Nigerian youths with regards to Nigeria’s political parties and the ruling class.

“Presently, Nigeria has a high unemployment rate, most of them youths, but there are lesser policies than those required to halt this problem. If the youths of a country are jobless, then there is bound to be an increase in vices,” he stated.

Akiolu said that since politics was a way addressing social issues in Africa, priority would be given to such issues when he assumed office.

He added that the interest of the people that elected him would be uppermost in his agenda.

“I scored 12,988 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP, Adamoh Olagbenga, who scored 4,345 votes; the people of my constituency longed for change to get me here and I won’t disappoint them. Being a young person and having confidence in me, their interest will be uppermost,” he explained.

He stated that his constituents had conferred on him the right to legislate on their behalf and represent their interest at the House of Representatives.

Akiolu stated that such trust would motivate him to attract developmental projects to his constituency as well as to partner with the State Government in moving the state towards good governance and progress.

According to him, economic opportunity is the leading domestic issue of the time and the key to reinvigorating the economy is quality education.

Akiolu said he would work to provide ideas on improving education, training and jobs to close the opportunity gap in his constituency.

“I have vowed to increase the standard of education of my people and to ensure that more Federal Government presence is attracted to my constituency in terms of projects and social welfare interventions.

“As a legal practitioner of over a decade, I joined politics to use my experience and the instrumentality of the law to bring about positive legislation that will impact the lives of the people of Lagos Island federal constituency 2, Lagos State and the nation as a whole, ‘’ he said.

He, however, added that he would be accessible and accountable to his constituents, not forgetting the elderly, the less privileged and the physically challenged.

The Not Too Young to Run bill was an initiative pushed by about 54 youth’s organisations in the country, calling for more youth inclusion in the nation’s politics and policy-making.

The initiators requests include reducing the age required to contest for the posts of the president, governors, senators and House of Representative.

The act now provided for Nigerians to contest for President at the age of 35 and Governor or Senator at the age of 30.

It is a change from the initial 40 and 35 years limit, which was mandated by the Constitution.

The bill also stipulates “that 25-year-old people can now legislate in the National and State Assemblies across the country.”