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Tag: 2023 Election

  • Why I became ‘Obidient’ – retired American mental health counsellor

    Why I became ‘Obidient’ – retired American mental health counsellor

    A retired American mental health counselor Jeffrey Guterman, is openly advocating for Peter Obi’s presidency in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, raising questions about his interest in the country’s politics.

    Guterman who has been hosting online discussions that attracts thousands of participants to support Obi’s campaign, said his interest was borne out of feeling of “deep compassion for Nigerians”, following the mass shooting at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo in Ondo State on June 5.

    “I was mortified when I saw an image of congregants laying face down in pools of blood,” he said.

    After the church attack, the mental health counsellor said he began looking closely at the upcoming presidential election in Nigeria and researched the major candidates.

    “It became obvious to me that Peter Obi was the only choice for a better Nigeria. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, candidate for the All Progressives Congress, is a drug lord. Atiku Abubakar, candidate for the People’s Democratic Party, laundered money.

    “In contrast, Peter Obi, candidate for the Labour Party, has an exemplary educational background and he served as Governor of the Anambra State with competence. There are no flies on Peter Obi. He has a positive vision for Nigeria,” said Guterman.

    He added that his interest in Obi has given him something bigger than himself and has caused him to develop close relationships with many Nigerians.

    “I have found Nigerians to be among the nicest people. Nigerians are brilliant, creative, beautiful people. Regardless of what happens in the 2023 election, I will always treasure my Nigerian friends,” he said.

    Guterman has worked in various clinical settings since 1985 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Boston University, two Master of Science degrees in counselling psychology and family therapy and a Doctorate degree in family therapy from the Nova University.

  • 2023: Adamu urges APC members to close ranks to ensure victory

    2023: Adamu urges APC members to close ranks to ensure victory

    Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Chairman has urged party members to close ranks and work as a team to ensure victory in the forthcoming general elections.

    Adamu made the call while speaking with newsmen after inaugurating an eight-member Abia Reconciliation Committee.

    “We have to do some work and forget some of the prejudices and stand together.

    ”We don’t want anybody to come here after the elections and start crying and laying blame on us for our failures.

    “I will not listen to that, this is the time to unite, this is the time to work for unity, if we do, God will be with us,” the APC national chairman said.

    He said ahead of inaugurating the committee, comprehensive meetings were held between the party’s leaders in Abia.

    Adamu said that they were involved in negotiations and its National Working Committee (NWC), especially during its primaries and after it.

    Adamu expressed optimism that with the inauguration of the committee, there would be peace in APC Abia.

    “We are not going to hold reconciliation meetings again. We will now leave it to the leaders of the party in Abia to play their politics in the state.

    “Abuja is not about Abia, go to Abia and play politics there, do the necessary, lobby and reconciliation there because all politics is local.

    “Abuja is not Abia locality, Abuja is the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), we converged here from various states. Let Abia go and work together,” he said.

    Adamu however, added that the party would not be satisfied with just 25 per cent of votes cast at the general elections.

    “All the national elections, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, likely the presidential election, we will not be satisfied with just the 25 per cent of votes cast.

    “No halfway about it, if we are to win, we must try to win every state,” Adamu stressed.

    The Chairman of the committee, Mr Chris Adighije, in his remarks, said the committee would reconcile all aggrieved APC members in Abia.

    This, he said, was critical to enable the party build strength to face challenges from other political parties

    The APC National Chairman urged the members to quickly come together to work in unity.

    “We are on our way back to Abia to play the local politics, reconcile all our members and ensure that we go straight for the low-hanging fruits which would have lost if we don’t get together.

    “And I know that by the grace of God and with the team, we are going to do the needful and ensure victory for our party,” he added.

    Adighije said the party’s chances of winning APC in the coming elections were bright.

    “If you look at my face very well you will know that I am an old war horse and I wouldn’t be standing here if I am not sure.

    “So, we have great chance, we only have to do the needful to work together,” he said.
    He added that the committee would do the needful to address every of the party’s challenges in Abia.

    Newsmen reports that Sen. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Deputy Chief Whip House of Representatives will serve as secretary of the committee.

    Other members of the committee are Mr Henry Ikoh, Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Emeka Atuma,  Martins Azubuike and Dr Emeka Wogu, former Minister of Labour and Productivity.

    The APC Abia governorship candidate, Mr Ikechi Emenike is also a member of the committee, among others

  • 2023: INEC vows to apply electoral laws without fear or favour

    2023: INEC vows to apply electoral laws without fear or favour

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will scrupulously apply laws, particularly the Electoral Act, of 2022 without fear or favour to ensure free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent elections in 2023.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, at the 4th Memorial Lecture in honour of Late Director-General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), Prof. Abubakar Momoh, who died on May 29, 2017.

    Yakubu was represented by Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, National Commissioner and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute.

    Yakubu assured Nigerians that INEC has no preferred party or candidate, but shall only ensure that all valid votes count and the winners are decided solely by the voters.

    The chairman said that as the 2023 general elections draws near, it was imperative for all stakeholders especially the political parties to note the major features introduced by the new Electoral Act 2022.

    He also advised party leaders to note the possible implications of these changes on the upcoming elections, saying the happenings that accompanied the recent party primaries attest to this.

    “These changes include amongst others, the conduct of early party primaries by political parties, technological changes in the electoral process;

    “The Commission’s power to review the decision of the returning officer and overvoting based on the number of accredited Voters.

    Yakubu said that those new initiatives served as the bedrock for the reviewed Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022, and the review of the Manual for Election Officials, 2022.

    He said that the use of electronic devices were now legally allowed in the accreditation process for voters, collation of results and in the general conduct of elections.

    These according to him includes the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED); INEC Results Viewing Portal (IRev) and other technological devices.

    “Please be assured that these innovations are intended to deepen the electoral process in our country.

    “Their optimal performance in the just concluded gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States is an eloquent testimony to their electoral value.

    “We shall only do more to consolidate their deployment,” Yakubu said.

    He described the Electoral Act as ingredients for party building, stabilisation of electoral rules and democratic consolidation.

    He expressed the conviction that party chairmen and members would be committed to ensuring that the 2023 general election would be devoid of deliberate infractions to the 2022 Electoral Act.

    The INEC chairman said that should be done essentially by allowing the electoral process to run smoothly thereby growing a rich democratic culture and acceptable election outcome.

    In his remarks, the Director-General of TEI, Dr Sa’ad Idris, said that this year’s memorial lecture and training was held to interact with party executives and discuss the implications arising from the New Act for the 2023 General Elections.

    Idris said that the theme of the lecture was apt, to train the political parties executives on the various sections of the new Electoral Act and the critical implications embedded in many of its sections.

    He said that the unfortunate preponderance of many legal cases arising even from the pre-election period up till after the conduct of the elections, had at many times brought a lot of challenges to the electoral process and the country’s political development at large.

    “It is hoped that with this lecture and training for party executives, due influence can be brought to bear and reduce the swift race to the courts that has characterised our political space in the last 10 years.

    “For an umpire and stakeholders who are conscious of their responsibilities of ensuring conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections, the Electoral Act has brought on board solutions to many issues that in the past have fuelled endless litigations in our courts,” he said.

    Idris expressed believe that the lecture would interrogate the relationship between the new Act and the roles of all stakeholders particularly the commission and the 18 political parties and 2023 General Elections.

    He also expressed hope it would suggest ways of conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections without unnecessary litigations that could be drawbacks to the election.

    The Guest Speaker, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, former Professor of Law, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti, advised political parties to obey their own rules and others by INEC and the Constitution of Nigeria.

    “The Supreme Court has decided in several cases that political parties must obey their own constitutions as the court will not allow them to act arbitrarily or as they like.”

    Akinseye-George, a scholar and renowned legal practitioner, advised Nigerians to change their mindset where people see politics as dirty and reckless game.

    “Politics is not anarchy; it is not disorderliness; it must be punctuated by justice, fairness and orderliness,” he said.

    Akinseye-George also advised INEC to monitor political parties and enforce them to comply to its laws including the parties’ finances

    “Until we put the political parties right on their finances, our elections cannot be right,” he said.

    The widow of the late D-G, Mrs Tawa Momoh, appreciated INEC for sustaining the lecture after five years of her husband’s death.

  • 2023 Election: Gov. Okowa says party will run as a united family

    2023 Election: Gov. Okowa says party will run as a united family

    The governor of  Delta State and the  Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, has stated that PDP will  run as a united family in the 2023 election

    The vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that the party will run in the 2023 general election as a united family.

    He made this known after a meeting with Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja on Friday.

    According to Okowa,  the process of the atonement put in place as initiated by officials of the party to resolve all issues arising from the fallout of the party’s presidential primary, and his nomination thereafter for the vice-presidential job, was going on, noting that at the end, “all issues would be resolved.”

    He stressed that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, was a dogged party member who had given his all for the victory of the PDP and would not want to give another political party his commitment.

    The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, in his remarks emphasised that the party hierarchy was on course to further the talks to right off all the wrongs that were committed during the struggle for the presidential and vice-presidential tickets.

    Recall that Ortom, on Tuesday, said the presidential flag-bearer of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had heeded his advice regarding his disagreement with Wike.

    The governor, however, counselled that as a reputable stakeholder of the party Governor Wike needed to be pacified to ensure that the atonement process was done smoothly with ease.

  • If Peter Obi wins 2023 election, looters will run to Dubai – Amaechi

    If Peter Obi wins 2023 election, looters will run to Dubai – Amaechi

    First Republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi has said if the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi wins the 2023 election criminals and looters will leave the country and run to Dubai.

    While declaring his support for Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba Ahmed, the 93-year-old stated this at his country home.

    He said, “I don’t think it was just an accident that Peter Obi emerged. I think it was God’s way. If anything happens to him, it would worsen the situation in Nigeria and the situation may degenerate to something non-describable.

    “If they’re afraid of Obi who is just a beginner, why should they not be eternally afraid? Peter Obi is the only governor who left office and nobody asked him any questions.

    “He didn’t know the office of EFCC, ICPC or DSS because of his clean records. The man who succeeded him wanted to leave the country two hours he handed over, meaning he wanted to sneak away.

    “Many other governors who left office have been arrested and charged to court but they ran into Senate or APC as a party and today their cases are closed. That’s the kind of rotten country you have. Yet people are suffering, and may continue to suffer.

    “I don’t think God created us to continue to suffer. The 2023 election is an opportunity he’s provided for us to right the wrongs. You will see how the whole world will embrace Nigeria if Peter Obi wins the election and all the criminals and looters will melt away to Dubai.”

  • 2023 Elections: INEC to collaborate Disability Commission for inclusivity of PWDs

    2023 Elections: INEC to collaborate Disability Commission for inclusivity of PWDs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)is set to collaborate with National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) to ensure absolute inclusivity for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in the 2023 general election.

    Mr Yahaya Bello, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, said this at a joint news conference in Abuja.

    The conference was organised by the NCPWDs in partnership with the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA).

    According to Bello, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, is passionate about PWDs.

    “This is to ensure that they are not disenfranchised, and have included exclusivity in the processes to take care of PWDs.

    “The idea of gathering and facilitating the registration of PWDs is very commendable, especially in view of the NCPWD mandate towards inclusivity in the election.

    “The future of Nigeria is our collective responsibility and your voice and vote is your power. So we want to use this forum to call on PWDs to come in mass and register in the CVR exercise in FCT.

    ” And we in INEC will work in conjunction and partnership with NCPWD in order to ensure that we register them and their PVCs would come out and they will vote in the 2023 election,” Bello said.

    Mr James Lalu, the Executive Secretary of NCPWD, said all the candidates of all the political parties for the 2023 general elections should know that PWDs have a voice and their vote would count.

    He said they should look for disability communities in their constituencies and engage them positively towards the 2023 general elections.

    “Our scaling up of the voter registration is to ensure that all PWDs participate fully in the electoral system where they can exercise their civil rights.

    “With the coming into being of the Persons with Disability Prohibition Act, it has escalated a lot of opportunities for the respect, right and dignity of PWDs in Nigeria.

    “We have heard from the INEC’s REC on the commitment to ensure inclusivity of PWDs in the electoral process and we will remain committed to that.

    “We are going to hold INEC to their words so that we would see and monitor as the process goes on. We will go around to ensure that PWDs register and get their voter cards.

    ” Our media men, we continue to call on you to project the necessary voice of the disability community,” Lalu said.

    Also, the Executive Director of IFA, Mrs Grace Jerry, said in spite of awareness and mobilisation by CSOs and the Organisation of Persons with Disabilities, Many PWDs were yet to register for the PVC.

    “According to Inclusive Friends 2021 Data for inclusion report, some challenges that limit their participation in CVR exercise were access to registration centres and the digital smart tools to register independently.

    ” Similarly, PWDs who have access to smart tools are not literate enough to go through the process online,” Jerry said.

    She, however, commended NCPWD, INEC and other relevant stakeholders for their support in diverse ways, to enhance the care, progress and inclusivity of PWDs across the country.

  • 2023: CAN directs Christians to vote character, competence, capacity [VIDEO]

    2023: CAN directs Christians to vote character, competence, capacity [VIDEO]

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has directed Christians to vote for their preferred candidates based on criteria of character, competence, capacity and policies, in the 2023 general election.

    In a video going viral, the Senior Pastor of the Family Worship Centre, Sarah Omakwu, read out the directives to church members in Abuja.

    Speaking on the criteria stipulated by CAN, the association emphasized that on character, the candidate must possess the following, “the fear of  God, honesty and truthfulness, respect for the rule of law, justice and fairness for all, respect for religious and ethnic diversity, compassion and discipline, clean and credible lifestyle.”

    CAN further state that the candidate’s record must show ”  no membership of cult, no involvement in drugs and witchcraft; no fanaticism, no relationship to Boko Haram or another violent religious group.”

    On Competence, it urged Christians to look out for “Quality performance in previous positions, good education sufficient to manage a complex society, effective management of human and natural resources.”

    Regarding capacity, the committee stated that any aspirant must have the ability to envision transformation, the ability to communicate the vision to diverse peoples, the ability to effectively execute the vision of transformations, as well as proof of good health, sound mind and physical fitness for the job.

    As for policies, CAN advised the church to vote only for presidential candidates that support state police, restructuring, and ranching, among other things.

    On policies, CAN further state, “State police, religious neutrality of the Nigerian state, enforcement of fundamental human rights of all Nigerians, restructuring to decentralize governance, equitable and enforceable sharing of executive offices, equal ethnic and religious representation in military and Security agencies, self-determination for all Nigerian people, no to ruga, yes to ranching, education and free healthcare to all Nigerians (including Almajiri), no open grazing (rather modernization of animal husbandry), local control of the local economy, including waters, rivers and forest.”

    See the full video below:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

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  • INEC fixes new date to end voters registration

    INEC fixes new date to end voters registration

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has a new deadline for the end of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

    The CVR, it said, will end on July 31 and won’t resume until after the 2023 general elections.

    The Commission earlier shifted the deadline of June 30, following an Order of Court that restrained it from ending the exercise.

    According to a statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, : “The CVR is hereby extended for another two weeks until Sunday 31st July 2022, thereby bringing the total duration of the extension to 31 days (1st – 31st July 2022)”.

    INEC added: “Commission met in an extraordinary session today, Friday 15th July 2022, and discussed among other things, the suspension of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

    “This followed the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court on Wednesday 13th July 2022 in which it dismissed the suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) which is seeking an extension of the exercise beyond 30th June 2022.

    “The Court has affirmed that INEC is at liberty to appoint a date of its choice to suspend the CVR, provided it is not later than 90 days before the date fixed for the General Election as provided in Sec. 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022.

    “In compliance with the interim injunction of the Court pending the determination of the substantive suit, and in order to enable more Nigerians to register, the Commission continued with the CVR beyond 30th June 2022. For this reason, the CVR has already been extended beyond 30th June 2022 for a period of 15 days”.

    It added: “With the judgement of the Federal High Court, all legal encumbrances have now been removed. Accordingly, the Commission has taken the following decisions:

    “The CVR is hereby extended for another two weeks until Sunday 31st July 2022, thereby bringing the total duration of the extension to 31 days (1st – 31st July 2022).

    “The exercise has also been extended to eight hours daily from 9.00am – 5.00pm instead of the current duration of six hours (9.00am – 3.00pm) daily; and

    “The exercise is also extended to include weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) as against only weekdays.

    “We appreciate that the timeframe may be tight for many prospective registrants, but there is a lot that the Commission is required to do under the electoral legal framework in relation to voter registration and compilation of the register that will require time to accomplish. For instance, the Commission is required to”.

    Explaining the decision, the Commission said it has to among other things, “clean-up of the register to remove multiple registrants using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS);

    “Consolidate the national register of voters (existing voters and new registrants) and display same on Polling Unit basis for each of the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) across the 774 Local Government Areas nationwide for public scrutiny. This lasts for a period of one week. On the basis of a new projection of 95 million voters, on the basis of 10 voters per page, the Commission has to print 9,500,000 pages for the display;

    “Print millions of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for all fresh registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs;

    “Ensure that there is ample time for voters to collect their PVCs ahead of the 2023 General Election;

    “Print the final register of voters in triplicate for the 2023 General Election involving a projected 28,500,000 pages for accreditation and display at 176,846 polling units for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) on 25th February 2023 and State elections (Governorship and State Assembly) on 11th March 2023; and

    “Make copies of the updated national register of voters available to political parties not later than 30 days to the date fixed for the General Election.

    “We appeal for the patience and understanding of all Nigerians as we conclude the exercise which will resume after the 2023 General Election”

    It continued that, “we observed that following the continuation of the exercise beyond 30th June 2022, many of the registration centres recorded low turnout of prospective registrants. With this two-week extension, we appeal to eligible citizens not to wait until the last few days before they inundate the centres again to register.

    “We appreciate the interest of Nigerians to register and participate in the electoral process and once again reiterate our commitment to credible and transparent elections. This can only be achieved with the support and cooperation of all Nigerians”.

  • Muslim-Muslim ticket: Nollywood actor Kenneth Okonkwo resigns membership of APC

    Muslim-Muslim ticket: Nollywood actor Kenneth Okonkwo resigns membership of APC

    Veteran Nigerian actor Kenneth Okonkwo has resigned his membership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over its Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for 2023.

    The actor made this known on his official Instagram page.

    He stated that APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket would permanently destroy the political viability of Christians in the north of Nigeria if allowed to stand.

    He added that he resigned his membership also in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

    The letter reads in part: “Recall that I joined APC because of its Constitutional vow, as true Progressives and Patriots, to eliminate all forms of discrimination and social injustice in Nigeria, thereby building the nation a nation which will guarantee equal opportunity for all and ensure mutual and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

    “Those ideals are now alien to the APC, with their unfortunate decision to paint our Muslim brothers in had light, by insinuating that the Muslims in Nigeria will not accept or vote for a Northern Christian as Vice-President to pair with a Southern Muslim.

    “If Muslims could vote voluntarily for Southern Christian Presidents, it is then a fallacy to insinuate that they cannot accept a Northern Christian Vice-President. This will permanently destroy the political viability of Northern Christians in Nigeria if allowed to stand.

    “Being the convener of the Campaign for Equity and Justice in Nigeria, and as a former member of APC Presidential Campaign Council, which resisted same religion presidential ticket in the past, I can no longer continue to lend my name to these abnormalities in the interest of our peaceful co-existence, integration and progress of our beloved country.”

  • 2023: Ebonyi APGA to hold another primary elections July 12

    2023: Ebonyi APGA to hold another primary elections July 12

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi has fixed Tuesday, July 12 for the conduct of another round of primary elections, to replace candidates who left the party ahead of the 2023 general polls.

    Ebonyi Chairman of APGA, Mr Ricky Okorouka, told newsmen on Sunday in Abakaliki that candidates would be vying for seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives, among other positions.

    “The elections will hold at the various secretariats of the party in the state.

    “ We have asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the exercise,“ he said.

    Okorouka urged members to be steadfast and uphold party principles and ideology.

    “We intend to replicate the Anambra experience in Ebonyi having chosen a formidable candidate for the 2023 governorship race,” he said.