Tag: Election

The Rule of Law and the Credibility of Leadership
Elections, News, Nigeria

The Rule of Law and the Credibility of Leadership

Still on the identity crisis and controversies that have continued to haunt the Nigerian citadel of power since the February 25, 2023 presidential elections. There is this saying: "IT IS NOT TITLES THAT HONOUR MEN, BUT MEN THAT HONOUR TITLES." The lofty titles that decorate people in power have little meaning if there is a hollowness and falsehood underneath them. Such titles which adorn those in public office mean nothing if they are not original and are fake if those who bear them have no honour to support the weight of the titles they carry. In situations where there is public doubt as to the veracity and authenticity of these titles and the claims behind them, it is the judiciary's role, when called upon, to uphold the honour of the titles through transparent rulings. Only th...
Opinion: Nigeria’s Election Highlights Anglo-American Missteps – M. Page
Elections, News, Nigeria, United States of America

Opinion: Nigeria’s Election Highlights Anglo-American Missteps – M. Page

Nigeria’s just concluded presidential elections have been focusing minds in London and Washington. Like tens of millions of Nigerian voters, Anglo-American officials realized what was at stake. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and is on track to be the third most populous country in the world by 2045. The UK and the US have enduring strategic interests in Nigeria, which are threatened by Nigeria’s kleptocratic ruling class’s tolerance of – and complicity in – democratic backsliding, grand corruption and gross human rights violations. The new administration faces a daunting array of challenges, from underdevelopment to insecurity, fiscal pressures and poor governance, which went unaddressed under outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari. But over the last several years, the UK and US h...
Inauguration: FG Restricts Movements Around Eagle Square
Elections, News, Nigeria

Inauguration: FG Restricts Movements Around Eagle Square

The Federal Government has directed the restriction of movements around the Eagle Square, the venue of the inauguration parade, from 2 p.m. on Friday till Tuesday. This move is in preparation for the swearing-in of President-elect, Bola Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima, on May 29. A circular issued by Ngozi Onwudiwe, a permanent secretary at the Head of the Civil Service, stated that the Federal Secretariat Complexes Phases I, II, III, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be cordoned off by security operatives ahead of the ceremony. The government has been conducting military drills in the past few weeks in preparation for the inauguration ceremony. The Inauguration Parade and Swearing-in of President-Elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is the climax of the Programme, will t...
<strong>Vehicle Conveying NSCDC Officers To Lagos Crashes in Abuja</strong>
Elections, News, Nigeria

Vehicle Conveying NSCDC Officers To Lagos Crashes in Abuja

Some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were reportedly injured during an accident involving an operational vehicle on Friday evening. The road mishap happened at the Giri roundabout in Abuja. The officers were reportedly on their way to Lagos on election duty. The number of officers of the agency involved could not be obtained at the time of filing this report. A video shared by the NTA pictured passersby picking up papers suspected to be electoral materials scattered on the ground. The electoral materials were being conveyed by the vehicle, as an eyewitness said some of the NSCDC personnel in the vehicle sustained ‘life-threatening injuries’. See Also: Umahi Explains Why FG Deployed Surveillance Aircraft In Ebonyi The eyewitness said,...
<strong>Presidential Candidates Own Banks, Naira Notes Scarcity Don’t Affect Them – Kwankwaso</strong>
Elections, Finance, News, Rwanda

Presidential Candidates Own Banks, Naira Notes Scarcity Don’t Affect Them – Kwankwaso

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said that his counterparts are not affected by the naira redesign policy because “they are owners of banks”. Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele had in October 2022, announced the plan to redesign N200, N500, and N1,000 notes and fixed January 31, 2023, as the deadline when the old notes will cease to be legal tender. Despite the apex bank recently announcing the postponement of the deadline to February 10, several Nigerians have found it hard obtaining the new naira notes. President Muhammadu Buhari has backed the policy and described it as having the potential to deter politicians from “mobilising resources to intimidate voters in the 2023 general election”. ...
<strong>Why I Wrote The Piece Forecasting Obi’s Defeat – Soludo</strong>
Elections, News, Nigeria

Why I Wrote The Piece Forecasting Obi’s Defeat – Soludo

Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo has said that he wrote the article that predicted Peter Obi’s defeat at the presidential election for “history”. Soludo stated this during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday. The Anambra State governor in the article published on November 14, 2022, stated that Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Obi, knows that “he can’t and won’t win” the 2023 presidential election. According to Soludo, the LP candidate is merely pinching votes from the stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the advantage of the All Progressives Congress, APC.   Soludo wrote, “Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign because Obi is making Tinubu...
<strong>INEC Sets Aside 8,809 BVAS As Backup For Elections</strong>
Elections, News, Nigeria

INEC Sets Aside 8,809 BVAS As Backup For Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has disclosed that additional Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, machines have been imported for the 2023 general elections.   The electoral umpire took delivery of the last batch of the machines on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, noting that it conforms to its contingency arrangement for every critical election material. Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in an interview on Wednesday, said the commission would deploy more than 194,464 BVAS machines in 176,846 polling units nationwide. He said that 176,846 polling units would be given one BVAS machine each, noting that each registration area totaling 8,809 would also ge...
<strong>Oyetola Expresses Desire To Govern Osun Again As He Hands Over</strong>
Elections, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Oyetola Expresses Desire To Govern Osun Again As He Hands Over

Gboyega Oyetola, the outgoing governor of Osun State has said his goodbye to the state as he ends his four-year reign today, November 27, 2022. Oyetola in a farewell message issued on Saturday said he would hand over as a law-abiding citizen, noting that the outcome of the Osun State governorship poll where Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, emerged as the governor was still being challenged in court.   He also expressed optimism that he would govern the State again, as he expected victory from the court. Read the full text of Oyetola’s farewell address: “My Dear Good People of Osun, “As I step aside today (Sunday) following the conclusion of the four-year tenure you freely gave me, I thank God and I thank you for your support, cooperation and pr...
<strong>Why Atiku Should Quit Presidential Race – Tinubu</strong>
Elections, News, Nigeria

Why Atiku Should Quit Presidential Race – Tinubu

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has asked Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, Atiku Abubakar to step down from the presidential race. Tinubu during a meeting with traditional rulers and stakeholders of the Niger Delta region at the headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom of Delta State said that Atiku having run unsuccessfully too many times should step down from the contest.   The APC presidential candidate said “As I stand before you, there are few of us running. One says he is Atiku, how many times has he been running? He is now tired of running. Let’s tell him to go and sit down and quit the race. Enough is enough.” Tinubu termed Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate, as a man that was not desired by citizens becau...
<strong>US To Impose Visa Ban On Individuals Who Seek To Undermine Nigeria’s Democratic Process</strong>
Elections, News, Nigeria

US To Impose Visa Ban On Individuals Who Seek To Undermine Nigeria’s Democratic Process

The United States of America has vowed to impose visa ban on individuals who attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process in the 2023 general elections. This was disclosed by the political counselor at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, when he spoke at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship alumni association seminar on Thursday. Olson said the US would not hesitate to impose sanctions on individuals who undermine the country’s election just like they have done in previous elections. He said, “When we say ‘all’ Nigerians, we mean all: politicians, candidates, students, leaders of religious, traditional, community, youth and business organisations and entities – everyone has a role to play in this effort. “Even a small number of troublemakers can cause substantial havoc t...