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

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)

==========
Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

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

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

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)

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

By Angela Atabo

African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has urged Nigerians to use the 2023 election to create a new vision for nationhood and citizenship.

Dr Chido Onumah, the Coordinator, AFRICMIL said this at a Pre-election Conference on Democracy, Federalism and the 2023 Election organisered by the Centre with support from Social Development Integrated Centre (SocialAction)in Abuja on Thursday.

Onumah said recent calls for a return to an undefined ‘true Federalism ‘has complexified the ongoing national debate in the context of federalism as an ideology ,a political system of form of government.

“As we heard into a very important election in one week ,these questions are begging for answers.

“It is against this backdrop that this conference provides space for serious and constructive dialogue from scholars, thought leaders ,youths, workers ,politicians and social activists to make contributions relevant to promoting emancipatory and progressive perspectives on democracy, federalism and nation-building in Nigeria.

“We hope that at the end of this conference we would be able to shape the conversation in the run-up to the General Elections, redefine a new vision of nationhood and citizenship,” he said.

Onumah said the conference would also help to define concrete options for federalism and nation-building including resource control, protecting citizens and residency of all people regardless of wherever they select to call home.

He said it would also identify possibilities for advancing a national vision through collective engagement with the mainstream political parties ahead of the elections.

Dr Sam Amadi, the Director, Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts ,said that so far the system had not carried Nigerians along in terms of having a say in governance.

Amadi said that over the years, the focus of politics in Nigeria was made to be about acquisition for self and for group and not for national development and this calls for change to peole centred governance.

“The problem is that you have not developed a politics that is nationalistic that is focused on the country as one entity so people in power see power as a way to win the economic power for selfish or group interest.

“It is important for Nigerians to develop courage to think of ways to do things differently to tackle the root cause of the national problem and develop political will to proffer lasting solutions.

“This can be through political organisation to deepen engagement on tackling issues as we are seeing in this electoral process , people need to always ask the right questions, take courage, organise and put in authority persons who think like they do,” he said.

Amadi said that citizens needed to elect peopele who understood the challenges facing the nation and were willing to do something to solve the problem.

“So there is no way you can run from politics, you have to organise, win power, and push the ideas that can change the country. I think that’s the way forward for Nigeria.”

A Policy Analyst , Hauwa Mustapha , said it was important to invest in people because democracy was about the people and about participation.

According to Mustapha, democracy is about people taking control of their destiny , managing the resources and being part of the decision making about things that affects their lives.

“So if that is what democracy is about, then we must invest in people’s empowerment, people need to be aware and have access to information as well as access to participatory democracy.

“How issues are debated, how programmes are developed, how resources are shared how governance is done, the people have to be part of it.

“Once people are part of the process of governance, then you deepen democracy, then you you reduce the friction and conflicts in the society because conflicts occur largely because people are in disagreements of happenings around them.”

Mustapha said that people were usually not comfortable with policies and programmes they felt excluded from.

She however ,said that once they were part of decision making process, even if things went wrong, they would take a collectively blame and decide how to fix it but once they were not part of the process and things went wrong it could result in anger and conflict.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Auwalu Kudu/Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Salisu Sani-Idris

A group, Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria, on Friday held intercessional prayers for peaceful elections and victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the prayers at the Abuja National Mosque, the Secretary-General of the scholars, Prof. Olaiya Olaitan, said the situation of things in the country required divine intervention.

Olaitain said: “We are gathered here today to seek Allah’s divine favour over the forthcoming elections, pray for peaceful and successful democratic transition.

“We are equally praying for victory of our endorsed presidential candidate, Sen. BolaTinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, who are determined to ensure good governance in the country during their tenure.

“The prayers, which are part of a continuous process are also going on at various major central mosques across the country throughout the period of the transition process.”

He said the organisation had sat severally and took a decision to endorse Tinubu, adding, “the country is yearning for a capable person that would take over from President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Olaitan called on the political players to abide by the law and avoid making statement that could destabilise the country and truncate the electoral process.

He said: “We are also appealing to the electorate to be more patient with the leaders at all levels.

“This is moreso that the period of the present administration is winding up and be hopeful that if Tinubu is elected, the country will witness more prosperity.” (NAN)(www.nanneww.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Thursday in Abuja said Nigeria’s problem is not corruption, but lack of cohesion and unity among the people.

He said this at the public presentation of a book titled: “The Biochemistry of Environmental Pollution”, which he said was his contribution to the body of knowledge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the book was jointly written by Ikpeazu and Kalu Kalu.

Kalu has a Ph.D in Nutritional Biochemistry and Lexicology, he is a lecturer in the department of Veterinary Biochemistry and Animal Production in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

Ikpeazu obtained his Ph.D in Pharmacological Biochemistry and Toxicology from the University of Calabar.

“The greatest problem of Nigeria today is not security, neither is it economic. It is lack of cohesion. It is disunity. Our problem is mutual suspicion and lack of mutual respect,” Ikpeazu said.

He added that to build the country, we must come together irrespective of tribe and religion.

“We should see the country as belonging to all of us under one God,” the Abia state governor said.

Speaking on the aggrieved five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, otherwise known as G-5 governors, which he belonged, Ikpeazu said the agitation of the governors was beyond 2023.

He said that it was all about inclusiveness and what the governors thought was at the root of the country’s challenge.

“If I come to a point in my life as a politician and you produce two or three critical officers of my party and they are all coming from one particular geo-political zone.

“I will agitate, even if they come from my geo-political zone, everybody has to be brought on the table.

“If you exclude Igbos from Northern Nigeria I will ask a question, I will also protest. If you exclude some people from Western Nigeria, I will still protest. For me, it is about including everybody.

“The youth, the women, people from the North and South, all of us, we need to do social mobilisation in order for us to solve the economic problems of this country,” he said.

On the new book, Ikpeazu said the essence was to solve problems, adding that his study and sojourn in the area of biochemistry would be in vain, ”if I could not contribute to the body of knowledge”.

“It is this drive that propelled me to keep at it till I achieved it. When I came over to the flip side of public service, to serve as governor, I thought that would have been a point of divergence and disconnection from my first love – Biochemistry.

“But each time, I look at every issue, and every problem from the perspective of biochemistry,” the governor said.

He recalled that in 2013, when he had the opportunity to serve as the Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, he saw the dimension of biochemistry.

This, he said, was especially in terms of trying to explain the causes and the diseases and the derailment we suffer every day because of the pollutants in the environment.

“Biochemistry refuses to leave me and I had to go back and pick it up. I feel very fulfilled because this is a journey I started over 20 years ago, it is not easy at all,” Ikpeazu said.

He added that writing a book on biochemistry did not leave him with too much choice, because there were rules and principles which must be reflected in interventions.

He said for him, it was the icing on the cake, adding that as an academia, he felt fulfilled and happy writing the book.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Ismail Abdulaziz