News Agency of Nigeria
Agriculture

FCT minister of state inaugurates 2 committees to boost agric. devt

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, on Monday in Abuja inaugurated two committees to help boost agricultural development in the territory.

While inaugurating the committee, the minister expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the partnership on the projects.

She said that the committees are the Steering and Inter-Agency Technical Committees of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Projects in the FCT.

Aliyu stated that the projects would go a long way in bringing about the avowed promise of leaving behind a legacy that will chart an unhindered course for sustainable economic development in Nigeria.

She added that the first phase of these projects was the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), which was facilitated by the World Bank.

Aliyu said that it was aimed at helping northern part of Nigeria and the FCT to address critical challenges of regional desertification control and landscape management.

She said: “The projects align with the goal of Buhari’s administration to set out broader landscape restoration of 4 million hectares of degraded land, and the promise of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.”

Aliyu further stated that the implementation would take place in the six Area Councils of the FCT; particularly in the rural communities, and would cater for the farmers and farm groups, women and youths groups.

She said that the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme (SAPZ) was co-financed by the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

According to her, it aims at mobilising private sector entities to develop value chains for selected strategic crops and livestock in the participating states.

Aliyu also said that the programme would significantly drive the modernization of the FCT agricultural sector and reduce food imports.

It will also enhance value addition in livestock value chain, staple food crops and create new economic zones of wealth and jobs creation in rural areas.

She said that the steering committees of the projects were the apex decision-making bodies for the operation of the projects in FCT.

According to Aliyu, they have the responsibilities of providing guidance and taking decisions on the recommendations forwarded by the StateTechnical Committee and StateProject Management Unit (SPMU)

The Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, said that several states across the federation had already keyed into the programmes.

He said: “Today’s inauguration marks the official take-off of the programmes in the nation’s capital.”

Ibrahim stated that the projects aimed at addressing environmental challenges as well as reinvigorating the livestock sector to enhance sustainable agricultural production and improved food and nutrition security.

He, however, assured that in view of the huge expectations on the projects, membership of the two committees were carefully drawn from relevant secretariat’s departments and agencies (SDA’S) of the FCT Administration.

Responding on behalf of the members of the committee, the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, noted that the implementation of the two projects could not have come at a better time than now when the capital city was in dire need of the implementation of innovative programmes.

” Programmes that have the capacity to rapidly guarantee the attainment of food and nutrition security, as well as improve the quality of lives of the growing population of the FCT.

Ibrahim said: “There is no gainsaying the fact that the issues of climate change and global hunger are interwoven, and experts have warned that unless urgent and necessary measures are taken, nations face immense threat of global food crisis.”

He assured the minister that members of the committees would put in their best to ensure that the objectives of the projects were realised. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Agriculture

German foundation commits €5m to agriculture intervention in Nigeria

Some participants at AFOS Foundation first stakeholders roundtable held in Lagos

 

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

The AFOS Foundation, a Germany-based autonomous and charitable organisation, says it is investing about 5.5 million euros as Intervention in Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

The Chief Executive Officer and Country Representative of the foundation, Mr Oladipupo Akoni, said this in a statement on Monday.

He was speaking at the first stakeholders roundtable in Lagos.

According to Akoni, the foundation was developed to support micro and small businesses and the rising middle class in developing and emerging nations.

“AFOS foundation has invested heavily towards development of the sector through capacity building, value-driven organisational development, management development, corporate governance, and product development interventions.

“It is strengthening the Nigeria agricultural sector by improving the performance of smallholder farmers, agricultural companies, microfinance banks, as well as their networking across the sector’s value chains.

“Since the commencement of its agricultural project activities in Nigeria in 2017, AFOS Foundation has reached over 45,000 smallholder farmers in Nigeria with the resultant positive impact on their skills, productivity and earned incomes.

“We target to reach 60,000 smallholder farmers by the end of 2024,” he said.

Leadership of AFOS Foundation 

He said that to consolidate on its achievements in Nigeria projects were now focusing on improved agricultural practices for smallholder farmers.

“We are also focusing on institutionalised dual vocational training systems, value-based management training, and development of an agricultural training centre.

“These are in addition to micro-insurance product development, agric finance training and sensitisation for the microfinance sub-sector, ” he said.

He said that the projects would be of immense benefit to the country’s agriculture sector.

“The ongoing project will have tremendous impact on the Nigerian agricultural sector by addressing its skills and development challenges.

“It will also address capacity replacement, especially in this era of massive emigration,“ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AFOS Foundation is a charitable foundation developed to support micro and small businesses and the rising middle class in developing and emerging nations, is strengthening the Nigerian agricultural sector by improving the performance of small farmers, agricultural companies, microfinance banks (MfBs), as well as their networking across the sector’s value chains. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Maureen Ojinaka/Isaac Aregbesola

 

Agriculture

Experts urge regulation for antibiotics use on poultry, livestock

 

 

By Funmilola Gboteku

Mr Sunday Bamgbose, Former President, Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), Lagos Chapter, has called for the regulation of antibiotics use on poultry and other livestock.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos, Bamgbose said that its non-regulation in the poultry, food and animal industries has health implications.

He also said that lack of education of poultry farmers on the proper use of antibiotics and wide spread dependency on antibiotics were additional factors that mitigates curbing of the problem.

“Usually antibiotics should only be administered for treatment of infections, prevention of disease and growth promotion.

“Overuse of antibiotics, however contributes to the emergency of antibiotics-resistant genes in bacteria.

“For instance when humans consume the poultry products like eggs which also contains antibiotics residue, it accumulates in the body.

“This causes drug resistant strains leading to gastrointestinal disorders, toxic and allergies reactions among others which are detrimental to our health,” he said.

Bamgbose also said that on the economic side, farm products with heavy concentration of antibiotics could not be exported out of the country.

He noted that because of the antibiotics residue present in the egg produced by poultry farms, most farmers could not sell them to egg powder industries.

Similarly, Dr James Wageti, General Manager, Adamore Nigeria Ltd. and a Poultry expert, said that some of the antibiotics administered to poultry birds and other livestock were cancerous.

Wageti noted that the drugs may not have any effect on the poultry birds, but posed a risk to humans.

He explained that the overuse of antibiotics was more dominant in the poultry industries because the birds lay eggs daily so it was easy to pass the residue.

He added that for other livestock the only danger of using antibiotics was towards the period the animal would be slaughtered.

The poultry expert said that it was also important to know that most of the antibiotics used for animals were the same ones used by humans.

He said that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 2050 there would be almost 10 million deaths as a result of antimicrobial resistance.

“They said that out of the 10 million, 4.2 million deaths would occur in Asia and four million in Africa, while the rest is shared among other continents.

“There will not be too many deaths in those continents because they have a strict regulation on the use of antibiotics on livestock,” he said.

Wageti noted that Europe for instance, had banned the use of antibiotics in poultry farms more than 15 years ago.

He said that the problem with Africa was the long term use of antibiotics on poultry birds and non-regulation.

He therefore advocated for strict measures and regulations with a view to curtailing the overuse of antibiotics in Nigeria.

He also called for more awareness for poultry and livestock farmers on the dangers of antibiotics abuse. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

 

Edited by Deborah Coker/Ismail Abdulaziz

 

Agriculture

Plateau buys 5,000 egg crates to help farmers

By Zainab OyeKan

The Plateau government says it has bought 5,000 crates of eggs from the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Plateau branch, to alleviate the plight of farmers due to egg glut in the state.

Gov. Simon Lalong on Monday in Jos at the distribution of the mopped up eggs said that the mop-up was the first intervention of the state government in addressing the issue of egg-glut in the state.

The governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Danladi Autu said that the state government would sustain the intervention by making them suppliers of eggs for the school feeding programme as means of sustaining the programme.

He said that poultry farmers had contributed to the internal revenue of the state and also created employment for the youth so the government would do anything to secure poultry business in the state.

Also speaking, the Plateau Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Hosea Finangwai said that schools, hospitals, correctional centres and orphanages in the state would be the first beneficiaries from the mop-up.

PAN Chairman, Johnson Bagudu commended the government for the gesture to alleviate farmer’s plights in the state, adding that it would also help bring back many farmers who had left the business.

He appealed to the incoming government to help to sustain the gesture.

One of the beneficiaries, Chairperson Association of Orphanages and Home operators in Nigeria, Plateau chapter, Mrs Kyenpiya Nyabam commended the government for the gesture, saying that 2,000 orphaned children in the state would benefit from the gestures.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PAN distributed rakes to schools to emphasise the importance of clean school environment in addition to the eggs distributed.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Iziama/Kayode Olaitan

Agriculture

FAO renews commitment to food security in N/East

By Hamza Suleiman

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of United Nations has renewed its commitment to supporting food security and building resilience in North East region.

The Head of North-East Office of FAO, Mr Alhassan Cisse made this known on Monday in Maiduguri, while declaring open a workshop on Strengthening the Organisational Capacity of Local and National Actors (LNAs) for effective Emergency Response in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Represented by Ms Sahar Fallal- Ali, Head of Emergency Programme of the office, Cisse said that over the years, the organisation with funding from donors has invested in building the capacities of LNAs for better implementation of its programmes. 

“For instance in 2022 alone, FAO trained 51 Farmers Field School (FFS) facilitators and 85 other partners.

“This is aimed at strengthening the capacity of local and national actors in humanitarian response.

“It is also for LNAs to take more leading role in the humanitarian response and also to take more leading role in the coordination mechanism for the LNAs to improve their effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action,” Cisse said. 

He noted that with funding from Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), FAO is piloting the localisation agenda in Nigeria where it conducted a gap assessment of 20 LNAs in the North-East. 

According to him, the workshop will strengthen the capacities of the LNAs based on identified gaps to enable them to effectively participate in planning and implementing humanitarian and resilience programmes as well as timely response to humanitarian crisis in agriculture and food security to promote resilience. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Agriculture

Abia LIFE-ND selects 1,000 beneficiaries for agribusiness

 

By Leonard Okachie
The Abia State Project Coordinating Office of the Lifelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has commenced selection of another set of beneficiaries for its agribusiness project.
The project’s National Administrative Officer, Mrs Ngozi Ohaechezi, who coordinated the exercise, told newsmen in Umuahia on Wednesday that the project was expected to bring on board at least 1000 potential beneficiaries.
According to her,  the beneficiaries, who are otherwise known as the incubates, are the fourth set to be recruited.
Ohaechezi said that the beneficiaries comprised  youths aged between 18 and 35 years and women-headed households with children under the age of 15, who are interested in agribusiness.
 She said that persons living with disabilities were also eligible for the project.
She said that the beneficiaries were being selected from 100 communities in 10 local government areas of the state that the project is operating.
According to her, 10 persons are being selected from each of the communities.
Selection of another set of beneficiaries for agribusiness project of Abia Project Office of Lifelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) on Wednesday, March 22, 2023
She said that the project received over 3,000 applications, including those of online, stressing that only 1,000 would be engaged after the screening.
“We have five teams in all the 100 communities and the 10 council areas who are supervising the exercise, but the community leaders themselves are actively involved in the screening process.
“We are trying to re-strategise and use a new approach to make sure that people are given the opportunity in our recruitment process, which is based on merit,” she said.
The State Project Coordinator, Dr Uchenna Onyeizu, said the beneficiaries would be engaged in the four agro- commodities, including cassava, rice, poultry and oil palm, which the project is working on.
He said that the project had been able to engage about 1,500 beneficiaries at different stages in different agribusinesses, since its inception about three years ago.
Onyeizu said: “The project targets to engage 4,250 beneficiaries for its six-year lifespan.
“By the time we bring in the 1000, thereby getting about 2500 beneficiaries, we would have surpassed our mid-term target, which is a few months from now.
“The essence of the agribusiness is to ensure that the livelihood of the households improves significantly.”
Mr ThankGod Nwahunnia, the Councillor for Ogwe in Ukwa West Local Area, expressed delight over the selection process in his ward.
He  commended the Federal Government, LIFE-ND  as well as other stakeholders for embarking on such an empowerment in his ward and local government area.
Miss Glory Ifeanyichukwu, who  screened at the Umuahia centre, expressed happiness for the opportunity.
“I have been waiting for this life-time opportunity to be selected because I have friends who have benefitted immensely in LIFE-ND project and they are doing very well  in their different agro-enterprises,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LIFE-ND is being funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
It is  in collaboration with the Federal Government and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as the state government.
The project, which is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision for national food security, is for implementation in the nine Niger Delta states but currently operating in six of them. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Benson Iziama/Vivian Ihechu
Agriculture

Technology: AUDA-NEPAD scores NBMA high

By Abigael Joshua
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA)-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (AUDA-NEPAD) has rated the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) high in the advancement of technology across Africa.

Mrs Florence Nazare, the Acting Director of AUDA-NEPAD, gave the commendation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

“We cannot underscore the role of NBMA in promoting technology, science technology innovation across Africa.

Nazare said they are happy to learn from the agency and commended their facilities to drive modern technology forward.

She commended their partnership with NBMA in leading negotiations in technology.

“Nigeria has played a critical role in all the international negotiations.

The Ag. Director also commended the expertise of NBMA and other agencies across West Africa as a pillar to industrialise through biotechnology.

She commended the facilities, laboratory and so many instruments employed by NBMA to promote biotechnology innovations across West Africa.

Nazare promised more collaboration with NBMA to fast track technological advancement in West Africa.

She expressed optimism that within the framework of initiative that had brought them to Nigeria, they would be able to foster inter Africa relations. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

=================
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Agriculture

FCTA moves to transform fisheries sector to cash cow for national economy

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has restated its commitment to transform the fisheries sector to become a cash cow for farmers in the territory and the national economy.

The Mandate Secretary for the FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, made the pledge at the commemoration of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) in the FCT.

He said: “UN declared 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries (IYAFA) with the objective of drawing global attention to the important role that small-scale fish farmers and fish workers play.

”They are very crucial in improving human well-being, food security, poverty eradication and in the sustainable use of natural resources.

“Member nations are expected to use the occasion to show commitment and take practical actions to support and promote fishery activities.

” The event we are therefore witnessing today is consistent with that worthy declaration as well as the theme of the event which is Building a Global Safety Net for Small-scale Artisanal Fisheries & Aquaculture.”

Ibrahim, therefore, expressed readiness of the secretariat to continue to advocate and pursue the implementation of innovative programmes that would help in enhancing effective utilisation of the rich water bodies that abound in the FCT.

He said that fish was a very important agricultural product that was largely consumed due to its rich nutritional and medicinal values.

Ibrahim added: “It is therefore not a surprise that the sector is growing at an alarming rate as more and more Nigerians engage in fish production not just for the nutritional value, but economic benefits associated with it.

” It is estimated that a very large percentage of Nigerians, mostly youths venture into fisheries production annually.

”While, this scenario would have been seen as a positive development, the sad narrative is the fact that more than 90 per cent of these farmers still operate at subsistent and small-scale levels.”

He, however, said that fish farmers in Nigeria lacked the professional expertise and investable funds to enable them acquire quality inputs required to help them transit easily from household to commercial production.

This is with the view to bridging the yawning gap between demand as well as supply and reduce the huge foreign exchange that was spent on fish importation.

Ibrahim said: “These are some of the issues that the programmes of the Secretariat are aimed at addressing.

”The story of Fisheries Development in the FCT is one that is characterised by steady growth and improvements in terms of production capacity, quality processing and access to markets and competitiveness

“Part of the strategies that we have adopted is to encourage local fish farmers organise themselves as a body so that they can more easily benefit from the various fisheries support programmes of the Secretariat.

“So far, over 400 fishery cooperative groups have registered with the secretariat, and we have been working closely with the various Fishery Associations.

”They include: Cat Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria, (CAFAN) to promote diversification into other fish varieties.”

Ibrahim recalled that in 2022, the secretariat organised series of workshops to promote Tilapia production, as well as on the utilisation of locally sourced materials for feed formulation which is cost efficient.

He added: “It is worth knowing that the establishment of the FCT Fish Farm Estate in Bwari is designed to be an all-inclusive facility that offers services that are in line with global best practices.

” Even though operations at the Estate are not yet of the expected standard, the Secretariat has been taking measures to address issues of water supply, electricity and access roads.

“I can assure you that with the pace of infrastructural development taking place at the Estate, operations will take off soon.”

Similarly, the secretary said in 2021, as part of the pet project of the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, the secretariat constructed the FCT Aquaculture and Allied Trades Centre for Youth and Women at Kuka village in Kwali Area Council.

He stated that the centre was established to train women and youths in modern fish production techniques.

Ibrahim said: “It may interest you to know that after the first harvest in which the Minister of State took part in November 2021, more residents have been trained.

”They are currently engaging in fish production in different parts of the FCT with their products sold in markets within and outside the FCT.

” In October of 2022, the FCT Administration through the Secretariat provided assorted fishery inputs worth over N60 million to fish farmers in the FCT.

” The inputs which were sold at subsidized rates to farmers are being utilised and is providing the needed impetus for fish production in the FCT.

” This input support programme has received the approval of the Administration to be an annual event.”

Earlier, the secretariat’s Director of Administration and Finance, Malam Ishaq Sadeeq, called for urgent actions by stakeholders to restrategise and adopt new approaches that would help to enhance fish production in the FCT.

” We believe if the enabling environment is put in place, FCT has the capacity to produce fish that can effectively meet not only the local demands, but even beyond the frontiers of the FCT.

“Our desire in the FCT Administration is to transform the Fisheries sub-sector into one that can create jobs for our teeming youth population so that they can earn income and improve their socio-economic well-being.

Also, the Director of Fisheries of the secretariat, Ifeoma Okek, described lack of training, among others, as the major challenges facing the growth on Fisheries in the FCT. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Agriculture

Poultry farmer advocates egg powder factory

By Olayinka Olawale

Mrs Juiiana Ibitoye, Chairperson, Erokorodo Poultry Farm Estate, Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, has appealed to the federal and state governments to set up a factory for production of egg powder in the country.

Ibitoye gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

She said the egg powder factory would reduce the huge loss recorded in the value chain due to glut.

Ibitoye said that government could also support farmers by buying off eggs during glut period to reduce the financial burden on them.

She said that cash crunch and the present economic situation in the country had denied many people access to food and other basic needs.

Ibitoye said that many people were not buying eggs due to cash scarcity which led to glut.

She added that the high price of feed contributed to the challenge in the industry.

“Every year, we normally experience glut three times and whenever it happens, it is a huge loss to the farmers.

“We want the government to assist us either by buying the eggs off from the farmers or find a way of converting the egg into powder form as done in developed countries.

“We are still far off in the production of egg powder in the country, there are only about two companies that are into it in Lagos.

“The equipment is very huge and expensive; not everybody can afford it but government can come in and help us,” she said.

The chairperson said the country has the market for egg powder adding that it would be bring development and create more jobs for the youth.

”We are an estate with over 100 farmers, if we can get the support of the government to set up the factory, it will help us a great deal.

“We will can come together, put the eggs together and turn it into powder instead of having glut and losing money.

“We can sell it within Nigeria to confectionaries, bakers and others but we don’t have such facilities,” she noted.

Ibitoye said that some farmers were closing down their farms due to the  numerous challenges confronting the sector.

“The price of feed compared to the price of the egg and even the glut at the same time is affecting our business.

“Whenever there is glut, we lose a lot of money, time and energy.

“As I speak now, we are in the glut season; people don’t have cash to buy what they want, the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria is affecting us.

“We will not experience glut if we have the means of turning our eggs into powder.

“We have the market for it, our government is not just focusing in that aspect,” she said.

She said that middlemen were exploiting farmers by selling eggs at exorbitant prices to the consumers.

“A create of egg that is you are buying at a supermarket between N2,800 and N3,000 is coming out of the farm at N2,100.

“We sell eggs at N2,100 farm gate price, this is not adequate for our cost but we don’t want to put too much pressure on the consumers.

“We don’t want to raise the price too high for the masses not to be able to afford it, that is why we pegged it at N2,100 and it is not adequate.

“But between us, the middlemen and the end-users, the prices keep skyrocketing and by the time it gets to the shops and supermarkets, it becomes too expensive.

“The middlemen and retailers are making more money than the farmers, they are exploiting us,” she said.

She urged government to create access to farmers’ market, good roads and transportation to enable them sell directly to consumers at farm gate price.

“If we have access to the market directly, we can produce our product and take it to the market but we must have good roads and transportation.

“Eggs are perishable goods, if they stay too long in our farms, it becomes bad, useless and a loss to us,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Agriculture

Polls: Buhari congratulates Tinubu, pledges smooth handover

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the winner of the 2023 Presidential Election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday declared Tinubu as winner of Feb. 25  presidential election with 8,794,726 votes.

Tinubu defeated his closest rival Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of Labour Party who secured 6,101,533 votes of the 24,965,218 total vote cast.

Also, Sen.  Rabiu  Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Reacting to the results announced by  the INEC chairman, Buhari said:

“I congratulate His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory. Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power.

“The election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise. In a region that has undergone backsliding and military coups in recent years, this election demonstrates democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it serves.

“Within Nigeria, the results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country. Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle.

“In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour.

”Some amongst you may have noticed my home state amongst them. The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either. That happens during a competitive election.

”Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy.

”There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.”

The president, who acknowledged that there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results, maintained that efforts would be intensified to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure in the country.

He said: “That is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results.

”Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure.

“However, none of the issues registered represent a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.

“I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine.

”If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence.

”If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.

“However, to do the latter means they are not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way and all for personal, selfish gains,” he said.

The president enjoined all the candidates to abide by the peace accord they signed before the conduct of the election, urging them to always avoid any action capable of undermining the credibility of INEC.

He said: “After a degree of polarization that necessarily accompanies any election, it is now time to come together and act responsibly.

”I call on all the candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election.

”Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

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