By Gabriel Jonah
On the heels of the planned commencement of distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) tto its respective owners and eligible vo6ters ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified its awareness and sensitization programmes as the commission on Wednesday met with traditional rulers and oher stakeholders in Yobe and Anambra states
INEC had earlier announced that it6 will commence nationwide distribution of PVCs from December 15 2023 to January 22, 2023
Addressing stakeholders and traditional rulers and stakeholders, which also included Yobe state Governor Mai Mala Buni, who was represented by Secretary to Yobe State Government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali, Buni, INEC resident commissioner for the state, Ibrahim Abdulahi, said it is the tradition of the commission to interface with traditional and religious leaders and other stakeholders, preparatory to every general election.
Represented by INEC administrative secretary Abacha Bukar, Abdullahi stated that this is because of the critical roles that these institutions are playing in the lives of people in the society.
He told the audience that he number of polling units in the state has risen from 1714 to 2823, ahead of the upcoming polls, following the recent conversion of 1109 voting points to polling unit
“We are here today to tell you how the 2023 general elections are scheduled to take place, what INEC has done in terms of preparations, and what it is doing towards the actualization of a free, fair, credible and all inclusive elections.
“The Commission converted a number of voting points into standalone polling units. Here in Yobe state, previously the total number of polling units was 1714 and 1109 voting points have been converted. As it is now, Yobe State is going into the upcoming elections with 2823 polling units cutting across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State.
“It is important to note that, we may not rule out the possibility of having PUs with zero registration.
However, the Commission will come up with modalities on how to make those PUs functional,” he said.
He called on the Royal fathers to stand in the gap and act in the area of sensitizing the people on the need to collect their PVCs.
In Anambra state, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Mrs Queen Elizabeth Agwu, disclosed that over 132, 626 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) were yet to be collected by is owners, even as she called on the traditional rulers, political parties and other stakeholders to join in sensitizing the people to use the window o collect their PVCs and be eligible to participate in the elections
Agwu, who gave a breakdown of the uncollected PVCs in the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) electoral offices in the state, said it included as follows, 7009 in Njikoka, Aguata (12675), Idemili North has 16256, Ogbaru (10,755), Anambra East (7,719), Nnewi South LGA (184), and Anambra West (1387) LGAs.
Others were Awka North (1543), Oyi (7282), Onitsha North (9,990), Ihiala (4,058), Nnewi North (8,700), Ekwusigo (3,350), Awka South (4,971), Ayamelum (1,960), Dunukofia (6,222), Onitsha South (12, 274), Idemili South (4,539), Anaocha (885) and Onitsha South (6,566) LGAs.
She explained that the Commission has resolved to devolve PVC collection to wards and registration areas from Friday to Saturday, January 6 to 15, 2023, when the exercise would revert to the Commission’s local government offices..
She also disclosed that the INEC had started the dispatch of non-sensitive materials to States.
“A proactive arrangement is already in place for hitch-free distribution and deployment of election officials and materials to our various local government area offices.
“INEC at all levels is aware of the security situation in the country. We will continue to meet with heads of security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on election security.
“We call on community leaders and traditional institutions including the town union President-Generals to assist security agents in their area to ensure the protection of lives and property,” she said.
The meeting was fully attended by traditional rulers, Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), Civil Society Organisations, among other stakeholders.
Orji Kalu to candidates: Nigerians want to know your ideas to tackle Economic woes, not rhetoric
By Ekebuisi Okorocha, Abuja
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu has tasked presidential candidates of leading political parties to tell Nigerians what they would do to move Nigeria out of is current economic woes, rather than against trivialities in their campaigns.
This is even as he has blamed spokespersons of the Presidential Candidates for engaging in blame games and trivialities in marketing their principals rather than telling Nigerians on how to save the nation from the myriad of economic woes and insecurity.
Kalu who was fielding questions from journalists in his office on Wednesday, said spokespersons of Presidential candidates of the leading political parties , are not addressing issues as regards aspirations of their principals but dwelling on frivolous matters and invariably , de – marketing the democratic process .
“Everybody in Nigeria knows that there are four leading Presidential candidates for the 2023 Presidential election, but their spokespersons are not giving Nigerians the required information as regards programmes and agenda of their principals on tthe myriad of challenges facing the Nation .
“What Nigerians want to hear from the four leading candidates of the four formidable political parties , is their plans on how to turn around the nation’s economy for better , end insurgency , banditry , kidnapping and other forms of crimes and criminalities bedevilling the country .
” Nigerians are tired of rhetorics on personal lives of the presidential candidates as being churned out by their spokespersons who primarily should be focusing on what their principals have in stock for the people across the various sectors “, he said .
On performance of the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari led government, Senator Kalu said he has tried in some areas and failed in other areas like any government across the globe, stressing that leadership is like exchange of baton in a race where every participant is expected to play his or her role and go .
“President Buhari and his team have done their best within the last seven and half years , preparatory to quitting the stage within the next six months for another set of leaders and by extension, new ideas, policies and programmes .
“Emergence of leaders at any time in the life of any country is always facilitated by circumstances and situations that are prevalent , making leaders at different times , have different challenges to face”, he said .
He however boasted that as far as Abia North Senatorial District is concerned, no other candidate is on ground apart from him , saying ” in 2023 , it will be Kalu vs Kalu in the zone”.
Atiku assures Osun voters of dividends of democracy
By Francis Ekeh
Osun voters have been reassured that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not renegade on its pledge to restructure the country, halt insecurity, reverse the downward trend in the economy and reunify the country if the party wins the next presidential election.
Presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, made the assurance on Wednesday at Osogbo, Osun state during the presidential rally of the party.
The former Vice President said that insecurity, youth empowerment, unifying the country, improvement in healthcare and education remain sacrosanct. He said that even as Osun state has returned to the umbrella, the voters must ensure that they vote for a PDP President so that they can enjoy the full benefit of the administration.
While thanking them for courageously voting out the ruling party in the state, Atiku said, “Our only objective is to make sure that the current challenges of insecurity, disunity, economic deprivation, lack of jobs for our young men and women and the future of this country through restructuring can be achieved and this I promise you I am going to start doing them from day one.
It means empowering Osun State with more resources and authority with what needs to be done, to provide the infrastructure needed for development, invest in education and healthcare in Osun State and bring about industrialization for the economic benefit of the people of Osun State.
“My brothers and sisters of Osun State, I appeal to you, I plead with you to come out in greater numbers than you did in the last state election and vote for the PDP in the next general election, that is the only way that you can secure your future and the future of your children.
“We promise you we will not fail you; we are not like APC because we have done it before. We have got the experience, we have got the people who have the capacity to bring about changes, we are not new as far as governance is concerned in Nigeria”.
Also speaking, wife of the candidate, Titi Abubakar reiterated that Atiku has promised women and children 60 percent position in his cabinet and reassured that Atiku is a man of his words.
“So Atiku is going to bring back that lost glory. Atiku is going to unify us, he is a unifier. Atiku has come to rescue Nigeria. Atiku has come to restructure Nigeria. Atiku has come to give our children good education. There will be no Boko Haram, there will be no kidnapping, there will be no abduction..
“The youths are the most unemployed in Nigeria and Atiku has promised women and youths 60percent in his cabinet and he is going to fulfill it. Atiku is a man of his words, he matches his words with action”.
Governor of Osun State, Sen. Ademola Adeleke in his speech, described Atiku as a detribalized Nigerian with the requisite experience to turn round the economy.
“Our incoming president is a detribalized person. He loves everybody, no matter where you come from. That is why he is the best man to do this job. He is experienced. When you look at all the other presidential candidates, you will see that his experience is so enormous. When he was the vice president, he was the one that controlled the economy. The economy was booming. Even when they handed over, it was the largest economy in Africa. So, we need experience, we need somebody that is straight. We don’t need somebody that likes to cut corners”.
Highlight of the occasion was the return of former Deputy Speaker and candidate of Labour Party in the 2022 governorship election, Hon. Yusuf Lasun, who was received back to the party at the rally.
Ebonyi: Fresh hurdles for PDP as court nullifies primaries
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received a big blow ahead of the 2023 general election as an Abuja division of the Federal High Court on Wednesday nullified the party’s primary elections in Ebonyi State that produced candidates for the State House of Assembly, National Assembly and the Governorship for the 2023 elections in the state.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, the court ordered the PDP to conduct fresh state Congress in Ebonyi State, for the purpose of the election of its candidates within 14 days.
Justice Nyako similarly directed the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), to monitor the fresh state Congresses, to be conducted by the PDP for the election.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1319/2021, filed by Mr. Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie against the PDP and INEC.
Justice Nyako agreed with counsel to the plaintiff, Okoro Mkemakolam that the cancelled PDP primary in Ebonyi state was conducted in flagrant disobedience of the order of the Court of Appeal, staying the execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, declaring Joseph Sila Onu as the Ebonyi State Chairman of the party.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court had in a judgment delivered on April 13, 2022, recognized Joseph Silas Onu as the authentic Chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the PDP.
Dissatisfied with the decision, Okoroafor Okorie through his counsel, Nkemakolam Okoro approached the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of the lower court.
The appellant followed it up with a motion for stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court which was granted by the appellate court.
Specifically, the Court of Appeal had on May 23, ordered the stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court and directed that all parties be returned to status quo ante bellum
The PDP, despite the orders of the Court of Appeal, which was dully served on the party, went ahead to recognized Joseph Silas Onu, who went ahead to conduct6 the said primary as its state Chairman, in disobedience of the said orders of the Court of Appeal
In rejection of the primary, the plaintiff had prayed the court to set aside the actions of the PDP taken against the subsisting orders of the court.