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Politics

BVAS ‘ll address money politics in Nigeria – Keyamo

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By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC)  has expressed confidence that the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will help to eliminate money politics from the Nigeria elections.

Festus Keyamo, spokesperson for APC PCC, stated this when he appeared at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja on Sunday.

Keyamo, also Minister of State for Labour and Employment, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the introduction of BVAS electronic transmission of result from polling units.
He said that with the introduction of the two technologies into Nigeria elections, gone were the days where electoral officers and security agencies were being paid to change result at collation centres.
He said before now, money were being used to bribe security agencies and electoral officials to alter results, but BVAS will take away that.
“Let’s be honest. You can see it in one or two isolated units, Can you buy 40 million votes?
“You see in one or two units people sharing money, you now say the whole election is tinted. That is not true. You can’t buy so many votes.
“Even when you give people money to go and give me money to voters, they rather pocket the money, they will not give them they would rather beg them. So that’s the truth.
“The money they’re use in those days is to bribe security agents, when they bring results to polling unit collation centre they would drive everybody, switch off light, switch papers before you come abracadabra has happened,” he said.
Keyamo said that BVAS was a blessing to the Nigeria electoral System.
“For me BVAS is a blessing. BVAS is a blessing because it will de-emphasise money in politics.
“From the unit level straight to the central server in Abuja. You can access the central server from the ward collation center but you cannot change it, but you can enter and see what has been transmitted to Abuja.
“So when the wrong copy come from the unit you can compare and say this what has been transmitted to Abuja.
“Who do you want to bribe there, nobody?
“So for me, even BVAS has reduced the issue of money in politics, and I love that,” he said.
Keyamo also suggested that INEC should have all party agents at the commission situation room where it collate all the result from PUs level.
He said that would ensure transparency and avoid dangerous mistake in the collation of results.
“Let me tell you the danger about electronic transmission of result, it is very good but if you make any mistake and it is out already and you said no it was a mistake. I want to change it. You want to burn this country.
“Even it was a genuine mistake. If for example you say 300 + 300. You now record 350.
“And you say sorry it supposed to be 600. But you have have already released 350. You can’t change it to 600 again. Even if 300+300 is correct. You can’t change it.
“Because the person who in favour will start burning. That is the danger in electronic transmission,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Editing by Ali Baba-Inuwa
Politics

Why APC ‘ll win presidential election – PCC

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By Naomi Sharang

Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the Feb. 25 presidential election, because it is the most popular party in Nigeria.

Keyamo, also a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), stated this when he appeared at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

“Without trying to sound overconfident, I can tell you that the election is ours to lose.

“If you take the baseline for projection for 2015 and 2019 elections, you will discover that interms of demographic setup of Nigeria and the voting pattern in the last two elections, the APC has an upper hand.

“If you take the baseline from the recent elections, then you will know that the election is for APC and our candidate to lose.

“Demographically, we are extremely strong, we are the most diverse with wide spread all over the country, the APC is the only party without concentration of support from one part of the country,” he said.

Keyamo, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said it was clear that the APC would record a landslide victory at the poll, going by current developments in the country.

“Again, in a country like ours or anywhere in Africa, you have an opposition that is not together facing the ruling party, that is you have an opposition split into three, how do you expect them to defeat the ruling party.

“It is a very simple calculation, forget about all the noise going around. The split we see today in the opposition parties facing the APC, in form of PDP, LP and NNPP is an indication of weakness.

“It is a simple calculation and even when they were together as PDP just three and half years ago, we defeated them with 4 million votes, so they have a task of bridging the four million votes.

“Even if they were together, they still have a four million votes deficit to close up in the last election not to talk of now that they are split into three, where are the votes going to come from, that’s the question we are asking and we are waiting for the Nigerian electorate to answer that in a few days time,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Editing by Ali Baba-Inuwa

Politics

Leadership is about character not eloquence, good looks- Keyamo

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Mr Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson for All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Campaign (PCC)says leadership is about character and not eloquence, good looks or fluency in speech.

He said this on Sunday in Abuja at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum, adding that criminals could also have such qualities.“Fraudsters are smooth talkers, they are not leaders, leadership is not smooth talk, it is character, and that is why President Muhammadu Buhari is one of the best leaders in Africa.

“This is especially in terms of integrity which had endeared him to most people, even members of the opposition political parties,” Kayemo said.

He added that unlike some leaders, Buhari who would be leaving office in less than three months time, had no magnificent building or mansion waiting for him.

“Buhari will be returning to his old house in Daura, Katsina after leaving office as president on May 29,” Keyamo said.He said that character was important in leadership and not too much talk.

He added that although Tinubu may not be a smooth talker like some people, he had achieved a lot.

“He has character, achievements and records behind him and that is why he is the best candidate for Nigeria.

“If elected as the country’s next president, Tinubu will do somethings differently, especially those things he think are not working presently.

“For instance, he already has his own ideas on improving the country’s security he will bring to the table if elected.

“And he has already given his own idea on how he think the current naira re-design and cashless policy should go,” Keyamo said.

He added that the former two-term governor of Lagos State had always given his thoughts on national issues which showed that he had his own approach to it.

Keyamo appealed to Nigerians not to be dettered by the Naira redesign and cashless policy, saying they should come out in their numbers to vote.

According to him, the more they vote, the more credible the elections will be.

“We want to appeal to Nigerians, the policy as it is today, there is nothing we can do about it, it is being implemented.

“But that should not hamper them from voting, we beg them, we appeal to them to come out enmase to vote.

“For those who want to vote out of anger, just express your anger against those supporting the policy to purnish you and vote for those fighting for you who are APC governors,” Keyamo said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

Politics

Naira redesign: APC displaying true federalism – Keyamo

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By Naomi Sharang

Mr Festus Keyamo, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) says the court case instituted by some APC governors over the Federal Government’s naira redesign policy is an indication of true federalism.

Keyamo said this when he spoke during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja.
He said that for APC governors to take a stand against the federal government on the policy, it showed that  Sen. Bola Tinubu if elected on Feb. 25 as president, would ensure true federalism in the country.

NAN reports that some APC governors had sued the Federal Government over the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“People are calling for true federalism. What you are seeing in display is true federalism.

“They should support APC because APC is now displaying the character of true federation where the component parts can disagree with the federal government.

“Don’t forget that it was Tinubu that started it long ago when he was governor, he was always taking the federal government to court on every issue to tell you that the component parts of the country can disagree with the federal government.

“We are not going to sell off Nigerians because of party politics. That is what the governors have shown the world that we are not prepared to sell you out because of loyalty to the centre,” he said.

Keyamo, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said that the policy would  not affect the chances of the APC at the poll.

“It is those who don’t mean well in the implementation whereas President Muhammadu Buhari means very well.“You know the President is the anti- corruption champion of Africa. What he is doing is a clear indication that he is holding fair to his principle till the last day.

“Every single governor that has gone to court fighting for the masses, fighting for the people to get succour, they are all APC governors.

“Now the opposition interpretes it to mean that the APC governors are looking for money to buy votes, that is why they are fighting to get the policy reversed,” Keyamo said.

He added: ”What the APC governors are doing is just being patriotic and purely altriustic”. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa
Politics

Nasarawa West: Wadada concludes wards campaign rallies, seeks peaceful elections

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By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Social Democratic Party Senatorial Candidate for Nasarawa West, Ahmed Wadada, has urged his supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the upcoming general elections.

Wadada made the call on Saturday while concluding his campaign rally at Garaku Ward, Kokona Local Government area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wadada had gone round 59 Wards in five Local Government Areas of the Senatorial district too solicit the support of the electorate and blessings of Royal Fathers.

The senatorial flag bearer enjoined the electorate to be decisive, think about the current reality and reflect on the dynamism of time while exercising their civic responsibility on the day of the election.

” My call to the electorate has always been one that we should be very peaceful in our conduct. And again we should be decisive and really sit down to think about what time it is now.

” And if you know what time it is you will know better what you are supposed to do. The dynamism of life makes it imperative for everything in life to change.

“I think there is no better time than now to change the landscape,”he added.

Wadada, therefore, promised the people of the district better representation if elected to serve them at the National Assembly.

” My wards campaign rallies had been very interesting, fulfilling, and of course motivating because I didn’t know that the level of appreciation of myself by the people has really gotten to the level I found out.

Wadada said: “At every community we visited, before our arrival the places were agog with massive crowd, religious leaders, party supporters of not just SDP but across the political parties and royal fatherd awaiting to receive and celebrate me.

” Of course you can testify what I’m saying here. This mammoth crowd is not only of SDP members, there are members of other political parties.

” And I feel motivated from what I saw if by the grace of God I’m elected, I will want to do much more than what I have done in the past so that people will appreciate me more than they do in the past.”

Earlier, Prof. Silas Gyar, Chairman Wadada Campaign Advisory Council, urged his supporters and other SDP candidates not to allow themselves to be “cajoled or deceive by the opponents.”

” You must be careful at the polling units and ensure that our votes count.

“Let me congratulate all of us in advance for the rightful choices we have made and for the good decisions we have taken towards the support that we are giving to SDP candidates.

” Indeed, we can never be any luckier than now that we have the caliber of candidates we are presenting.

“The SDP today in Nasarawa West Senatorial District can happily say that we have the best of candidates.

” In politics, what we choose is what we get. I believe that we have made a choice and on Feb. 25, we shall demonstrate that and by evening, we shall be singing songs of victory,” Gyar said.

Also, one of the electorate who graced the campaign rally, Mrs Azumi Dogara, a retired military officer, said the people of Garaku ward have settled for Wadada and all SDP candidates in the elections.

She said: “He provided water to us, he also constructed road networks for us. Therefore, the only way to reciprocate his gesture is to vote for him.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the wards campaign rally was attended by youths, women, Persons With Disabilities and all stakeholders from the five Local Governments Areas that made up the district.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Politics

Consensus candidate: Northern Elders Forum denies adopting Atiku

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By Deji Abdulwahab

Alhaji Seidu Baba, a member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), says the forum has not adopted former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential candidate, as consensus candidate.

Baba made the clarification on Saturday at a news conference in Abuja.

According to him, though, Atiku has been scheming to be endorsed as the sole candidate of the North, NEF has not endorsed him.

He dismissed the claims that the NEF’s 10th Anniversary was to adopt Atiku as consensus candidate for the North, “Atiku has no credentials to be a sole Northern Presidential candidate”.

Baba said: “There was an attempt to cajole and even force the NEF to adopt him (Atiku), shows how desperate he is.

“Many people believe, though the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-rufai, was condemning Northern elders, it is believed, his real target was Atiku Abubakar.

“There is no way Atiku can be a Northern candidate, because he does not know them and we do not know him.”

“It is believes Atiku got wind of his rejection the reason he failed to show up at the NEF Assembly and could not send any representative.

“Atiku has not been seen as somebody who is closed to the North, because he has not been fair to us.

“He is somebody that have his base outside the North.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

Politics

I’ll make Badagry big tourist centre – AA guber candidate

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By Raji Rasak
Mr Abdul-Rasak Balogun, Governorship Candidate of Action Alliance in Lagos State, has promised to make Badagry a tourist centre if he becomes the next governor of the state.
Balogun made the promise on Wednesday when he moved his campaign train to the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) in Sowhe, Badagry.
“If you look at our agenda, when we talk about tourism, we are looking at making Badagry a very big tourist centre because of its historical background.
“We are also going to be bringing international market to Badagry because this place is closer to the border.
“This is a border town, it is an opportunity for us to export most of our God-given talents, innovations and productions,” he said.
He claimed that in spite of rapid development of other divisions in  Lagos State, Badagry had been neglected.
“What we need in Badagry is a total reformation,” he said.
On strategy to win the election, the governorship candidate said that he had been part of the dominant political parties.
“I understand politics, I have structured my strategy.  I foresee a landmark victory on our side,” he said.
The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party,  Mrs Oluwatosin Mautin, said that Badagry people assured her of massive votes.
She promised that the ancient town would enjoy dividends of democracy if they would vote the party into power.
The Lagos State Regional Pastor of CCC, Superior Evangelist D. O. Ojurongbe, prayed that  God would answer the  prayers of the candidates. (NAN)
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
Politics

Stakeholders advocate more support for women in political space

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By Ruth Oketunde

The Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), a non-governmental organisation and other stakeholders have called for more support for women in political space across the country.

They made the call at a one-day town hall meeting organised to strengthen the collaborations for women’s political leadership on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Olufemi Adebayo, Senior Programme Manager, Kimpact Development Initiative, said the meeting was aimed at strengthening collaborations for women political participation and charting a way forward.

Adebayo, who decried the low figure of women currently contesting in the 2023 general elections, said that it was important to raise advocacy to increase women participation in politics.

“We cannot shy away from the data which shows that it is abysmally low for women political participation as it is obvious.

“So we want to sustain the conversation towards 2023 elections and beyond.

“The list of candidates has been released and those that are vying, we already know them and for the females, they are not more than 10.2 per cent.

“So we want to amplify the benefits of women political participation or women political leadership so that we can have that benefit to Nigerians and for Nigerians to know that females are valid candidates to vote for,” he said.

He added that mentorship for young women who are interested in politics should be encouraged by all stakeholders.

He added that the organisation on its part would continue advocate for more women political participation even after the general elections.

Mrs Ndidi Okafor, Deputy Director, Civil Society Organisations Division, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), added that women should begin to contest for political positions from the grassroots level.

“Women should also begin to mentor younger women to join political parties, especially from the ward level.

“Governance is not all about those who go to the federal level but there is also something happening at the grassroots.

“If we have more women who are councilors, local government chairpersons, that will be wonderful,” she said.

Okafor added that the commission was prepared for the general elections and it had activated all the electoral processes to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

Earlier in her address, Mrs Mariam Jaji, Programme Analyst, Women’s Political Participation, UN-Women Nigeria, added that having women at the decision making table would be critical for national development.

Jaji added that barriers such as negative gender norms, lack of financial resources and lack of receptiveness of political parties, among others, had continued to impede women political participation and should be discouraged.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event also had a panel discussion which focused on “Increased Women’s Participation: A key prerequisite for gender equality and increased citizen’s participation in elections”.

NAN reports that the event had in attendance, traditional rulers, representative of the Ministry of Women Affairs, National Centre for Women Societies, female political candidates as well as various civil society organisations.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Kayode Olaitan

Politics

PRP tasks FG on massive crude oil theft

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By Naomi Sharang

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) on Friday tasked the Federal Government to investigate massive crude oil theft in the country.

Alhaji Falalu Bello, the National Chairman of the party, said this at a news conference in Abuja.

Bello said that reports had indicated that Nigeria was losing billions of oil revenues due to illegal bunkering and vandalisation of crude oil pipe lines.

“The massive crude oil theft of over 600,000 barrels a day is what we are begging President Muhammadu Buhari to address before he leaves office in May.

“Yes, Mr President, three months is not long enough for you to thoroughly investigate and deal with these serious issues in the oil industry but three months is long enough for you to set up a powerful judicial commission of inquiry on the industry.

“This should be under a reputable and agile retired Justice of the Supreme Court to thoroughly investigate at least, the aforesaid activities in the industry with a view to ascertaining how the frauds have taken place,” he said.

The party chairman also called on Buhari to reverse the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN).

“We therefore, ask the president to immediately instruct the CBN governor to return to Nigerians, the old currencies he has caused them to deposit with Nigerian banks.

“The CBN should also allow those old currencies remain legal tender until the CBN prints enough currencies to replace new ones,” Bello said.

Bello said that the PRP would make agriculture an economically viable sector such that farmers would be guaranteed minimal price for their produce.

He also promised that girl-child education would be accorded top priority.(NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)

Editing by Ali Baba-Inua

Politics

Kogi guber: Disregard delegates’ list – Group urges Sen Adamu

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By Thompson Yamput

A concerned APC body known as Kogi Mandate Group, has urged the party’s National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu to disregard a purported delegates’ list sent to him for the November Kogi governorship election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kogi’s governorship election is coming up in November, as Gov. Yahaya Bello’s tenure ends on Jan. 27, 2024.

The political parties’ primaries come up in April ahead of the polls.

But the Group, through its solicitors, Atlanta Partners, based in Abuja, had in a letter dated Feb. 15, and made available to NAN in Lokoja on Thursday, alleged that the list was allegedly concocted in Kogi Government House without following due process specified in the Electoral Act

Mr Promise Ogbodu, lead Counsel to the group, in the letter titled, “Complaint/appeal against the submission of purported delegates names/list in respect of Kogi Primary Election for 2023 Governorship election,” threatened to go to court if the right thing was not done by the state party leadership.

Ogbodu said, “We are Solicitors to Kogi Mandate Group and its leaders, Messrs Audu Sule, Isah Yahaya and Ahmed Momoh, hereinafter referred to as our clients on whose instruction we write.”

He explained that Kogi Mandate Group was an association of All Progressives Congress (APC) members spread across the three Senatorial Districts of Kogi, who have irrevocably committed themselves to marketing APC and its policies.

“Our clients, the leaders of Kogi Mandate Group are committed, loyal and productive members of the party, APC and are desirous of contesting delegates election in respect of the forthcoming governorship primary election in Kogi State.

The solicitors said their clients had information that while they and their members were eagerly and patiently waiting to contest for and serve the party as delegates in the forthcoming primary election for 2023 governorship election in Kogi State, a purported delegates list for the primary had been submitted to the party.

Açcording to the lawyer, this prompted the complaint/appeal for total rejection and/or cancellation of the list.

“At no time whatsoever was any information/notice of Congress at ward level or any other level for delegates election for Kogi State 2023 governorship primary election given to the members of the party, including our clients at any level.

He said that not even at the stakeholders meeting of Feb. 6, at Kogi Government House, Lokoja, was any issue concerning or touching on delegates election for Kogi 2023 governorship primary election raised or discussed.

“At no time was sale of forms and even the cost and venue of sale of forms for the delegates election advertised by the party of any committee at any level (State, Local Government and Ward) in Kogi State.

“The list of purported delegates submitted to the party for Kogi State 2023 governorship primary violates the mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act which compels political parties, including APC, to ensure democratic emergence of delegates for primary elections, ” he said.

The lawyer described as “very unfortunate” that stakeholders within the party who have given their all and sacrificed so much for the party have been shortchanged and deprived of their right to aspire to be delegates for the primary election.

He said: “It is in the best interest of the party to reject and/or cancel the sham list submitted to it, purportedly as a list of delegates for Kogi State 2023 governorship primary election.”

He advised the National Secretariat of the party under Adamu’s leadership to immediately extricate itself from “this web of manifest irregularities.

“It is our clients prayer that, the purported delegates list be rejected and/or cancelled in the interest of democracy, fairness, justice and conduct of congress for the election of delegates and adequate notice of same given to the members of the party.

“We have our clients’ firm instruction to proceed to the court of law and seek for justice/remedy in the event that the party fails to intervene by cancelling/rejecting the purported delegates list within three days”.

Responding, the State Information Commissioner and Kogi APC Chairman, Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr Kingsley Fanwo, defended the list as authentic.

Fanwo claimed delegates elections were held across the three Senatorial districts of the state and names of successful delegates were collected and sent to the national leadership of the party.

He described the Kogi mandate Group as disgruntled members seeking means of causing problem for the party in the state but “they won’t succeed in their bad attempt”. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

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