By Olatunde Ajayi

Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State on Sunday in Ibadan adopted Gov. Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its candidate for the March 11 governorship election.

LP chairman, Mr Sadiq Atayese, told a news conference that the state’s Working Committee of the party believed in the emergence of Makinde, a candidate with character, competence and capacity in the interest of the citizens.

He said, however, that the electorate should vote for LP candidates at the state assembly elections.

“Going by the results of the Feb. 25 presidential election and political realities in our state, it is obvious that no individual party can win the coming gubernatorial election single-handedly.

“The main priority should be to ensure that citizens win through the election of a candidate that best serves their collective interests.

“Against this backdrop, the right thing now is for parties and their candidates to form alliances with candidates of like ideology,” he said.

According to Atayese, LP in Oyo State has decided to work with the candidate whose ideology tallies with its own in terms of security of lives and property, infrastructural development, food security, education and human capital development.

“It is of note that the present PDP administration under Gov. Makinde has presented its scorecard from the health sector with the provisions of Primary Healthcare Centres in every ward to security and others.

“There is no doubt that his governance ideas in the establishment of Park Management System which other state now emulate has made him to be a leader with uncommon innovation.

“From our evaluation as a party, Makinde has done well and we know that continuous development of a state is a function of stability in governance,” he said.

Atayese stressed that there had been meaningful development in Oyo State in the last four years; hence, it was only logical that the good work should continue.

“We have the responsibility to maintain the nobility of our heritage and we the citizens have to stand by it.

“We took a thorough assessment of the various governorship candidates for the March 11 election in terms of character, competence, capacity and compassion for the people.

“Gov. Makinde excelled the others; therefore, LP in Oyo state has decided to use its structure throughout the 33 local government areas to support his re-election for another four years of giant development,” Atayese stressed. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

=============
Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Alli Hakeem

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Mr Osita Okechukwu, Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON) has criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubkar, for making false claims about the Feb. 25 presidential poll.

Okechukwu in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said Atiku’s desperation and crass opportunism led to PDP’s defeat at the polls, not Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate as he claimed.

He pleaded with Atiku to retire honourably from active politics, instead of playing the sore loser and sulking publicly with false narratives.

He wondered what the election results would have been if it was mainly between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP.

Okechukwu, who is also a chieftain of the APC, recalled that Atiku at a recent news conference, stated that Obi’s movement to Labour Party took PDP’s votes in South-East and South-South.

He said Atiku, a former Vice-President, allowed his entitlement mentality to becloud his sense of judgment.

He wondered why Atiku wanted to deceive Nigerians with the false narrative that Obi rushed out of PDP, when in actual fact, it was his insistence to contest against the zoning principle that propelled Obi to find an alternative platform.

Okechukwu further recalled how the former Vice-President brought his opportunism to APC to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari for the party’s presidential ticket in 2014 on the patriotic premise of rotation convention.

”Now, for Atiku to play the blame game by bellyaching against Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party who turned out as hero of 2023 presidential election, is quite distressing.

“How can Atiku claim that Obi was scared out by PDP Governors.

“When it was public knowledge that his huge war-chest and competition with Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers that made PDP’s primary too contentious and corrupt for Obi.

“It was actually Atiku’s opportunism that eclipsed the PDP and halted Obi’s hurricane, the simple truth is that Atiku Abubukar’s opportunism eclipsed the PDP,” Okechukwu said.

“Here was a man who in 2014 defected to APC, on the patriotic premise that the then president, Goodluck Jonathan, breached the rotation convention between North and South.

“Today, he violently breached the same rotation convention and the constitution of his party with lamentation outcome,” the VON DG said.

According to him, Atiku has not said the real reason behind Obi’s exit from the PDP as he has contradicted his media aides.

He, therefore, challenged Atiku to come clean on whether Obi was truly scared off by PDP governors or as first narrated by his team that he wanted to back Obi, but for Gov. Nyesom Wike’s intransigence.

Okechukwu recalled how in an attempt to defend his breach of rotation convention, Atiku’s team serially argued that he wanted to support Obi, but changed his mind when he learnt that Wike was against micro-zoning the presidency to the South-East.

“We have heard from the horse’s mouth, it is a crystal case of opportunism that drove the Waziri Adamawa into presidential race,” he said.

He added that with the outcome of the Feb. 25 presidential election, Atiku had not only buried the PDP, but also halted Obi’s hurricane that could have extended to the far North.

He said the cardinal question was why Atiku didn’t deploy his huge war-chest to back Obi ahead of the presidential election. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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

By Deji Abdulwahab

The Concerned All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders in Nasarawa State has called on Gov. Abdullahi Sule to avoid a divided house before the Saturday March 11 election.

The Convener of the group, Mr Dominic Alancha, gave the advice on Saturday at a news conference in Abuja.

Alancha said that defeat of APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state was orchestrated by internal wrangling, especially from the aggrieved state government functionaries.

According to him, most of them are APC government appointees who worked against the party and were also planning to work against the party in the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

“The onus is on the governor to do the needful before we go into the election comes March 11, or else, we will go into it as a divided house.

“We, therefore, say that the Governorship and House of Assembly elections slated for March 1 1 should be different.

“We are calling on all concerns to come out and address the issues that could affect the victory of APC in the March 11 election in Nasarawa State.

`We believe that Gov. Abdullahi Sule is one of the Governors considered to have done well and given the dividends of democracy,’’ group’s convener said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

By Ibrahim Kado

Sen. Grace Bent has appealed to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his Labour Party counterpart Mr Peter Obi to accept their defeat in the Feb. 25 presidential election in good faith.

Bent, who represented Adamawa South at the National Assembly stated this in a statement on Saturday in Yola.

She congratulated the president elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu and his running mate Sen. Kashim Shettima for a well deserved victory.

“Engaging in a legal tussle on the widely adjudged most credible election will amount to only unnecessary distraction to hold down the process of leadership to thrive.

“The presidential election results were a true reflection of Nigerians honest votes , you don’t need to waste your time and resources.

“Going to court will lead them in exercise in futility with no positive impact in the judiciary and democratic systems.

“I believe in the duo style of leadership, the ticket will unite us more than the thinking of many who are selfish to look at it from the religious point of view,” she said.

Bent added:“I wish them good tenure in office, I know in their ticket Nigerians will smile again.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

==========
Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Angela Atabo

The Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), A Non-governmental organization, (NGO) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intensify training of electoral officers on use of voting materials for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Ms Grace Jerry, Executive Director, IFA and Convener, of the IFA Vote-Ability Campaign made the call at a news conference while presenting  the findings from the observation of the presidential and National Assembly elections.

Jerry also called on INEC to continue to gather data on PWDs in a disaggregated format to improve the deployment of assistive materials during elections.

She said that IFA, through the Vote-Ability Campaign, deployed 250 PWDs election observers across 21 states and the six  geopolitical zones of the federation.

She said that the objective was  to measure the deployment and usage of PWD assistive materials, the accessibility of polling units to PWDs, and the internal layout of polling units, among others.

“IFA observed that 22 per cent  of Polling Units (PUs)were stationed around corridors and steps; 12 per cent  have uneven surfaces and sand piles that make PWD accessibility difficult and impossible in some instances.

” IFA observers reported that 71 per cent  of PUs observed had no ramp or handrails for use by PWDs.

“IFA observers reported that 65 per cent  of PUs had no suitable voting cubicles for PWDs on wheelchairs, persons of short stature, and persons on roller skates.”

Jerry said that  IFA observers reported that 74 per cent  of PUs positioning and situating of the ballot box was accessible for PWDs on wheelchairs.

She said that 60 per cent  of PUs reported had no braille ballot guide for blind voters who could read and understand braille to cast their vote.

She said that in 76 per cent of PUs observed, IFA observers reported the non-deployment of magnifying glasses for voters with albinism and low vision.

She said that IFA observed that 61 per cent of PUs had the INEC form EC30E election guide posters for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Jerry said that  IFA observed that there  was  an increase and more robust improvement in PWD political participation.

She said that this was  because, beyond participating as electorates, PWDs were seen to serve as party agents.

“The observation mission of IFA saw the engagement of PWDs by INEC to serve as ad hoc staff.

” This satisfies the IFA’s demand while also meeting the requirements of Section 29 of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities Act (2018).”

Jerry  commended INEC and urged the commission   to ensure that voting cubicles were designed to enable voters with disabilities to cast their ballots confidentially in subsequent elections.

She also called on INEC  to  ensure ballot boxes are placed in areas that allow voters with disabilities to vote independently.

She said that INEC should continue to engage and consult with the disability community, including IFA, to identify areas to be improved for more inclusive electoral processes.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Adeyemi Adeleye

Political Economist, Prof. Pat Utomi has called for a review of results of Saturday’s Presidential Election in 10 states of the federation.

Utomi, Convener of The BIG-TENT Coalition of Political Parties, Social Movements and Civil Society Organisations for Obi-Datti, made the  call at a news conference on Friday in Lagos.

He listed the states as Lagos, Rivers, Imo, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina, Adamawa and  Akwa Ibom.

“We want to urge INEC to show good faith and not wipe their server of activities of the  Feb.  25 presidential election in the excuse of having it ready for March 11.

“We also want to request that INEC administratively begin a review of the votes in 10  states.

“All we seek is sunlight. We accuse none and come with malice toward none but are assured that our children will have better tomorrow if we ensure that sunlight and transparency define our electoral ways.

“We ask for an INEC review. If this fails to bring justice then a court process to reverse rigging and call the true winner.

“Where that is difficult for the system, we call for outright cancellation of the election of Feb. 25, and ensuring that enthusiasm allowed to flow through to March 11 with assurance of a free, fair and transparent election,” Utomi said.

According to him, it is exactly nine months when he welcomed the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi into a movement of the Third Force.

He said the Third Force was built with grinding effort with the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, the New Fabian Society of the Concerned Professionals and a potpourri of Civil Society Organisations.

Utomi said that it was built on hope, deep concerns for the dignity of all Nigerians, a special care for women, young people and a desire for inclusion, especially of the not so enabled.

“Within six months,  the movement unleashed by the Obi candidacy which was first laughed at as four men tweeting in a room was generating panic in the traditional class, much thanks to young people subjected to abuses of all kinds from public authority.

“They wanted their PVCs to make the point that needed to be made and our country experienced a surge in new voter registration.

“The pensioners and middle class followed the path walked  by the youth in this country in which the median age is 18.2 years and the vast majority of the population is youthful,” he said.

Utomi said that, however anyone diced it,  the Nigerian people deserved a huge show of gratitude from the Big Tent for believing in the vision of a Nigerian redemption.

According to him, it is important to note that whatever may be the case, the people have made their point.

“Nigeria will not be the same again because of the faith shown by Obidients who came of different ethnic, religious and economic class configurations.

“They simply believed a new Nigeria was possible. This is victory and for me a personal triumph. My life’s work evidently is approaching its epogy and I am thankful to God for that.

“The only way to concretise these gains is not to get tired or distracted.

“These include a massive turnout at the election of March 11 as voting “Mama, Papa, Pikin” to paint Nigeria Labour,” he added.

He urged INEC to provide Nigerians guaranties of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS)and what system it would use on March 11 and the general integrity of elections in Nigeria.

Emphasising accountability and transparency as the essence of democracy, Utomi said that the first thing in that spirit was respect for the will of the people.

According to him, one sure way of enthroning that is ensuring governance norms and very transparent processes and systems.

“The key to such accountability is sunshine. It is typical bureaucratic tradition to make things secret but INEC cannot regain the confidence of the world if it continues down that path.

“An electoral commission must like Ceaser’s wife,  be ever beyond reproach,” he stated.

Expressing confidence in LP ‘s victory in the end, Utomi urged all Obi’s follower to cheer up and act rather than suppress emotions and be sick from such.

On  future elections, Utomi berated use of political thugs by some politicians to intimidate and visit terror on opponents, prevent them from voting, alter the vote and often maim them.

He also decried that in the end there would be no consequences for the perpetrators of political violence.

“This is why the pattern resurfaces every four years. We shall forward the list of governors, other elected officials and their henchmen involved in electoral practice to the International Criminal Court and demand prosecution with strong sentence or conviction.

“We also charge the system to hold accountable,  security people on whose watch violence and rigging has been allowed.

“We invite evidence which is plentiful against these men and women for consequences beginning with ostracisation to trials, naming and shaming,” he said.

Utomi urged the electoral umpire to make the  March 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections different from the  Presidential and National Assembly Elections held on Feb. 25.

He said: “If INEC cannot assure that, its leadership must step down and move aside. We seek the same of law enforcement agencies. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma

By Ahmed Ubandoma

The first lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Thursday described the victory of APC’s Sen. Bola Tinubu in the just concluded Presidential Election as the will of God.

Mrs Buhari said this when she received the wife of the President-Elect, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, and the Wife of the Vice President-Elect, Hajiya Nana Shettima, on a thank you visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

She said: “ Regardless of our interests and diversity, we should all accept it as a will of Almighty God; we wouldn’t have done it without his grace.

“It is a victory for all Nigerians. I am optimistic that the President-Elect will not betray the trust and confidence that Nigerians reposed in him.

”It is now time to move on and focus on the path of `a renewed hope’ for Nigerian women and youths.

“ So, my sister we count on your experience and interest in promoting the cause of women, youths and girl-child education,” she said.

She however reminded the wife of the president-elect of the challenges ahead and prayed for God`s guidance and direction as she prepare to take over the affairs of the Office of First Lady of Nigeria.

“The task is arduous but with your determination I believe is surmountable.  I pray that come May 29, your position as first lady will be marked with joy and continued success.

“We look forward to the advancement of Nigerian women and their inclusion in the affairs of our nation`s development,” Mrs Buhari said.

Sen. Oluremi Tinubu had earlier informed the gathering that they were at the Presidential Villa on a thank you visit to appreciate the support and wise counselling of the first lady towards the success of APC at the presidential election.

“We want to thank you sincerely for how you’ve been able to bring us together as a campaign team for the APC, especially the women presidential campaign team.

”You really showed a lot of wisdom, dexterity and courage in the way you put us together” she said.

“I remember coming here to ask for your permission and also to solicit for support when we are about to begin campaign,” she said.

While acknowledging the motherly role of the first lady, Mrs Tinubu prayed for good health and divine intervention in the affairs of the firstlady.

“As you’ve come here safely, you will live to your home in good health, divine health and whatever you decide to do; God will be there with you, thank you so much for the love you have shown to us,” Mrs Tinubu prayed.

The meeting was attended by the wives of some APC governors and associates of the first lady. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Yamusa III, has urged the Senator-elect of Nasarawa West Senatorial District, Ahmed Wadada to redouble efforts in rendering selfless service to humanity.

The traditional ruler gave the advice on Friday in Keffi when Wadada led a delegation of his campaign council to seek royal blessings of the Emir, following his victory at the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Emir also advised the Senator-elect to shun wealth accumulation and continue to channel his resources towards improving the living conditions of his constituents especially the less privileged ones.

Yamus said: ” I want to use this medium to advise you to continue to shoulder the responsibilities of providing for your people. Don’t focus on wealth accumulation as you are going to the Senate.

” You are a man of the people and you are known to be generous to your people.

“I urge you to sustain that you are known for and continue to hold your people by the grace of God, the sky will be your beginning.

” I also want to encourage you to reward the people that stood by you throughout the period of electioneering. Don’t neglect them, try as much as you can to reward them handsomely.”

Earlier, Wadada in his remarks, said he was at the Emir’s Palace to seek for his royal blessings, adding that he holds Yamusa in high esteem.

The SDP Senator-elect thanked the Emir for his tremendous support to his family and political struggle since he ventured into politics.

Wadada said: ” I have no place or home that I am proud of better than Keffi. Keffi has done everything for me and my extended family.

” Since after INEC declared me as the winner of the election, I have made up my mind that this Palace is the first place that I will visit to seek for royal blessings before I visit any other place.

” I will forever remain grateful to the Keffi Emirate Council and the entire people of Keffi for the overwhelming support given to me in the just- concluded elections.”

In attendance were: the Chairman, Advisory Council of Wadada Campaign Organisation, Prof. Silas Gyar, its Director-General, Alhaji Bello Zakari and former Commissioner of Environment Nasarawa State, Danladi Madaki, among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Bashir Rabe Mani