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Tag: Coalition

  • Coalition, LP to deploy agents to polling unit to safeguard votes in 2023 — Utomi

    Coalition, LP to deploy agents to polling unit to safeguard votes in 2023 — Utomi

    Prof. Pat Utomi, the Convener, The Big Tent of the Third Force, says the coalition and the Labour Party (LP) plan to deploy at least 15 agents each to polling booths in the country to help safeguard votes in 2023 general elections.

    Utomi, the Chairman, National Consultative Front (NCFront) and a leader in the Labour Party, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Lagos on Election Agenda.

    According to him, the coalition has worked and made much sacrifice to get Nigeria to move from state capture by aging oligarchs and to make the nation overcome its numerous security and economic challenges.

    “The broad coalition of women, youth, professionals and the intellectuals which has adopted the leadership of the Labour Party and Peter Obi is serving notice that in addition to its agents which will number up to 15 in each polling booth in the country, it will use technology to guard the votes of Nigerians in 2023.

    He said the organization would in the next week, unveil the details of Mass Polling Booth education programmes and the retreat for the gubernatorial candidates and ideology workshops for all Third Force candidates.

    The convener, who expressed delight that Nigerians’ political awareness had continued to rise, said “People have awoken. They want to take back their country”.

    He said that the coalition and LP were planning to counter all electoral manipulations and violence in 2023 that could throw up bad leaders.

    “The last frontier before liberation for the people is in checkmating the traditional ways and means by which they thwart the will of the people.

    “These include Election fraud or rigging, vote buying, manipulating of electronic voting, equipment and voter intimidation, as well as abuse of emotions around ethnicity, religion and region,” Utomi added.

    According to him, the coalition will inaugurate Big Tent Think Tank to harmonise the original manifesto of the Labour Movement with the production focused philosophy of its Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi.

    He said this would include the production and value chain-based ideas of a competitive economy, based on the latent comparative advantage of the different parts of Nigeria aimed at sustainable manufacturing espoused for years.

    Utomi said contrary to claims about the governance capacity, structure, and manifesto of the Big Tent of the Third Force (which has the Labour Party and its Presidential Candidate, Obi as arrow head of a collegial leadership initiative), the coalition was ready to provide needed leadership.

    According to him, leadership has networks reaching down to every polling booth through the 36 political commissions of both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

    Utomi said the structure of the Big Tent had been deepened by the passion with which the people, young and old were motivated to buy into the reform pointed to by Mr Peter Obi.

  • NBC Sanction: Coalition threatens legal action against AIT, Channels, others

    NBC Sanction: Coalition threatens legal action against AIT, Channels, others

    The Coalition of Civil Societies for Police Reform and National Unity, has threatened to take legal action against Arise News TV, Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television if the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fails to revoke their licenses within 21 days.

    The National Coordinator of the group, Prince Mike Ekamon, issue the threat at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NBC had imposed N3 million sanction each on AIT, Channels and Arise News television stations, for alleged violation of broadcasting code in reporting the #EndSARS protests.

    Ekamon alleged that the unprofessional coverage of the #ENDSARS protest by Arise News Channel, AIT, and Channels TV incensed the public and contributed to the destruction of critical national and private assets, worth trillions of Naira.

    He said: “This Coalition will sue the stations concerned for purveying fake news during the recent nationwide #ENDSARS protest against police brutality in the country.”

    He further stated that the three broadcast stations ran foul of section 5.4.1 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code which deals with the coverage of crisis, emergencies and protests.

    “This sections stipulates that the broadcaster shall present news and commentary on a crisis, emergency and protest in accordance with the professional standards.

    “And must at all times ensure that the coverage of a disaster, crisis, emergency, protest is aimed at the overall public interest, safety, guidance.

    “And must provide authentic information, not broadcast morbid or graphic details of death, injury, pain, protest or agony and when necessary with due caution, not transmit divisive materials that may threaten or compromise the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign state.”

    The section also stipulates that a disaster and protest should not be reported in such a manner that ”violates or impedes national security.”

    Ekamon maintained that in reporting protests, the broadcaster should perform the role of a peace agent by adhering to the principle of accuracy and neutrality.

    He also stated that the three broadcast stations violated the Nigerian broadcasting code by broadcasting footages on the Lekki shooting by soldiers from unverified and unauthenticated social media sources.

    “This escalated the protest that engulfed Nigeria and gave the platform to hoodlums and other undesirable elements to wreck public peace and property,” he said.

    He implored the youth to embrace peace and dialogue as the government is making efforts to reform the police for the good of all Nigerians.

    He noted that the youth must always deploy their youthful energy to meaningful activities.

    Ekamon, who appealed to government at all levels to involve the youth in governance, advised the Federal Government to address the five-point demands of the #ENDSARS protesters.

    “This is the only panacea to the lingering problem of police brutality and enforcement of justice in Nigeria.”

    He urged the police to immediately commence investigation to the numerous acts of looting perpetrated by criminal elements masquerading as #ENDSARS protesters.

    Ekamon also stressed the need for the police to investigate the hoarding and misappropriation of Covid-19 palliatives across the country.

    “This will send a clear signal to criminal elements to abide by the law,” he said.

  • Boko Haram: Coalition laud Nigerian troops over successful outings

    Boko Haram: Coalition laud Nigerian troops over successful outings

    The Coalition of Nigerian Activists for Greater Nigeria (CNAGN) believes that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deserve special laurels for their tremendous feat against Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast.

    This special recognition trails the troops’ recent onslaught around the Timbuktu-Triangle in Borno State which was once reported to be under the control of the radical jihadists.

    Led by Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukut Buratai, the Nigerian troops have gained massive grounds in its final clearance operation, with the latest consuming 134 insurgents.

    And in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr Kenneth Anayo, on Tuesday, the group of activists hailed the “troops for their uncommon efforts, patriotism and gallantry in the past few weeks especially their most recent exploit in neutralizing over 134 terrorists”.

    CNAGN expressed confidence in the COAS and his troops as they match closer towards victory over the terrorists who already appears to be depleted.

    The activists, however, urged the Federal Government to carry out a similar operation on the civilian and non-combatant wings of Boko Haram, who arm them with information.

  • Sowore orchestrated court drama to embarrass Nigeria-Coalition alleges

    A coalition of civil society organizations has alleged that co-convener of #Revolution Now protest, Omoyele Sowore, masterminded the drama witnessed at the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, to embarrass Nigeria before international community.

    This is just as the coalition urged the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies not to compromise internal security of the country in the face of cheap blackmail.

    The coalition while staging a peaceful demonstration yesterday in Abuja, urged management of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police to investigate and apprehend those involved in the make-believe drama.

    Convener of the Guidance for Democracy Initiative, Prince Danesi Mohmoh, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, explained that the drama was plotted to mislead the media, thereby deceiving Nigerians.

    “Watch the video keenly, the people inside the court room were not DSS operatives, I am, not speaking for them, but they were not DSS operatives. Sowore and his master, Femi Falana, know best what they planned in the court; the simple message was just to give Nigeria a bad name amongst committee on nations.

    “If you have ever had dealings with any Nigerian security outfit, you will discover that the laws that established them stipulate where and where they can operate, that was a court room for God sake,” Danesi said.

    He, however, urged the DSS and police to apprehend and prosecute those involved in the drama, saying “I am using this medium to call on the DSS to speedy the investigation on that video footage and those people perpetrated the act should be brought to book.

    “We do not see any reason the media will be cajoled to misinform the public. I was at the court the same day, and my message there was clear, that the judiciary upholds only the constitution and jettison pressure from any political and tribal sentiment.”

    While fielding questions from journalists on the re-arrest and detention of Sowore, Danesi said:

    “We don’t have a place for revolution in Nigeria’s Constitution; we have a place for transition. Some people are coming with the idea if revolution, we will resist them at all times and we will continue to resist them. We have advised them, they are Nigerians, they have the constitutional right to protest, but there is no one, including the president who has the capacity to call for a revolution, anybody calling for a revolution is on his own, and we urge well-meaning Nigerians to dissociate themselves from that call.

    “If anybody wants to become the president of Nigeria, it can only be achieve through the ballot box not through revolution. You must join a political party, aspire and mobilise Nigerians for support. If anybody thinks he can tinker with the idea of violence or revolution, because he has earned from his foreign collaborators, Nigeria is not the right place for him.”

     

  • Ondo APC crisis: Coalition petitions Buhari, Tinubu; seeks dissolution of state excos

    A coalition of Ondo state All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth and Women in politics have expressed concern over alleged act of indiscipline within the party in the state.

    The coalition had petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the National leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on their findings about the affairs of the party in the state.

    The petition was signed by the coalition’s chairman, Ogunleye Odunayo and secretary, Mrs Yakubu Oluremi who strongly believed that the National leadership of the party must be aware of how Ondo APC leaders allegedly mobilized attack and used state ,local government machinery and the party’s resources to support their political allies who contested under the platform of Action Alliance (AA).

    According to the petition “It will interest you to know that agents of Ondo State Government masterminded the petition against the emergence of the only APC Senate elect in Ondo State at the election tribunal for the state.

    “A petition had been filed before the tribunal for the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) against the Independent National Electoral Commission and Senator Ajayi Boroffice, the only APC senator elect from Ondo State by the agents of the state government and the ruling party under Mr Ade Adetimehin

    “It was a rude shock for us to hear that one of the lawyers used by them is the biological son of the AA candidate, Tunji Abayomi, who was sponsored by the state government”.

    The coalition therefore appealed to President Buhari and Asiwaju Tinubu to use their good offices and to dissolve the present state executives of Ondo State APC,stressing that over 85 percent of party members had been sidelined from the party for working against AA candidates.

    The APC leaders according to the Coalition openly campaigned for AA candidates and directed members not to vote for APC candidates.

    It noted that the sample of AA ballot papers were freely distributed to APC members to educate them on how to vote for AA candidates which eventually led to the failure of President Buhari in Ondo State.

    The statement further alleged that in the eve of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the APC mobilization funds given to the party was released to AA party leaders and candidates on the order from above.

    It said “We from 48 APC youth and women groups met in Akure, the state capital to protest the anti-party activities of the APC leaders in Ondo state and jointly agreed to write you about the danger in keeping the present party executives in the state under Adetimehin.

  • 2019: Why we joined PDP-led coalition against APC – PPA

    The Progressives People Alliance (PPA) says inadequate development and insecurity in the country are among reasons it joined the Coalition of United People Party (CUPP) ahead of 2019 elections.

    Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT), Mr Godwin Ezeemo, stated this on Friday in an interview with newsmen in Umuchu, Anambra.

    He said: “what is important in the coalition is to see that we raise a leadership that will be sensitive to development, security and other issues affecting the people directly.

    “This is not to say we will write APC off completely; there are few areas they did well, but below the pass mark level.

    “In the area of security, I am displeased with the way Nigerians are killed all over the country. It is not fair.

    “Any government that fails to provide security for the people is not worth being there at all.

    “We have equally seen that impunity remains a big issue in the current administration that allows a few to rule instead of adhering to the will of the people.

    “The unfair treatment and the use of security and graft agencies against political opponents by the APC led-Federal Government are, to say the least, one of its short comings.”

    Ezemo scored the government “half credit’’ in its fight against corruption, saying that it had left it half way.

    “It does not make sense of the whole effort in the fight against corruption that the fight is now being used to make politicians join the party.

    “No administration has started the fight against corruption, but while APC started it, it has not been able to finish even one case,” he said.

    He explained that PPA was part of the coalition to ensure that only individuals with unquestionable character, sincerity of purpose and with interest of the nation were elected in 2019.

    “We need individuals who are willing to lead selflessly and such individual must be acceptable to all the units of the country; such person must be a detribalised individual.

    “We want a person who would remember that we do not have any other country than Nigeria; a leader that will not make decisions based on sentiments but on objectivity,” the chairman stressed.

    He criticised the freezing of state governments’ accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and likened it to declaration of state-of-emergency where there was no need.

    “That is why we support the call to restructure the country to reduce power at the centre,” he added.

    The PPA, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and 36 other political parties, in July, formed the CUPP, an alliance to produce a common presidential candidate for 2019 election.

  • 2019: Obasanjo’s ADC pulls out of PDP-led coalition

    2019: Obasanjo’s ADC pulls out of PDP-led coalition

    Barely three months after the fusion of Coalition of Nigerian Movement (CNM) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), a faction pulled out on Tuesday, announcing itself as New African Democratic Congress (N-ADC).

    Protem National Chairman of the group, Precious Elekima, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja.

    The CNM, founded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had in May adopted ADC as its political party.

    In July, the ADC joined 36 other opposition parties and Reformed All Progressive Congress (R-APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to form an alliance called Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

    The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to contest the 2019 general elections under one platform.

    Elekima said the N-ADC withdrew from ADC because it did not want to be a party in CUPP, explaining that ADC leadership joined the alliance without consulting stakeholders.

    He said the formation of the group was to keep alive the mission of ADC to free Nigeria from backwardness, which the party (ADC) wanted to truncate by joining the coalition.

    He recalled that CNM, which he claimed now had no fewer than five million members across the country, was formed after the publication of the “famous open letter’’ by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in January, 2018.

    He said that by joining the alliance, the ADC defied the clarion call by Obasanjo for the rejection of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Elekima said without collecting any money from the former president or any of his associates, Nigerians organised themselves from the wards to state level, toiled and sacrificed towards salvaging the country.

    “On May 10, without any form of consultation with the components of the federation, that is the states, the teeming members of CNM fused into ADC as the third-force with the mandate to salvage Nigerians from oppressive leadership.

    “These teeming Nigerians believed in the good intentions as set out in the clarion call so meekly embraced by the ADC.

    “They gave flesh and blood to the ADC, reinvigorated and rebranded it to aspire as the third-force in the political landscape of the country.

    “This again, they did without any sponsorship from the former president or his associates. They invested their time and resources to building the ADC whose star was on the rise.

    “Suddenly, without any consultation with the party chairmen and stakeholders in the 36 states and Abuja, the ADC was taken into a place for unholy intimacy with the PDP.

    “As if that was a small matter, defectors from the APC were also called in to take part in this unholy political orgy clothed as Memorandum of Understanding for the CUPP on July 16.’’

    The N-ADC chairman said with respect to Mr Obasanjo, Nigerians and the international community were not being informed about cleansing in APC and PDP, to certify fit for ADC to be in alliance with them.

    According to him, Nigerians cannot be fooled as ADC has become just another vehicle for recirculation of the people that were common problem of the nation.

    “Since majority of the members in the ADC never set out to deceive Nigerians, it has become necessary for the sake of these innocent members and the hope held for Nigerians that we step out of the ADC.

    “It has become necessary to step out with the mission and mandate of the clarion call and leave behind those leaders who for reasons best known to them have become like those in APC and PDP.

    “We are, therefore, happy and proud to announce that these gallant Nigerians who believe in the Third-Force for Nigerians have now constituted themselves out from the former ADC as the New–ADC.

    “We call on members of ADC nationwide, the CNM and all progressives to rally round the N-ADC as we set out on a mission to free Nigerians from their slave masters,’’ he said.

    Elekima, who was Coordinator of CNM in Rivers, apologised to Nigerians, saying that his group was not part of decision to join CUPP.

    He disclosed that the factional group had already written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to notify it of the formation of N-ADC, with temporary National Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja.

    This, he said, was important in order to meet up INEC’s time table for 2019 general elections.

    “We will come out with a decision that will be all-embracing and will create a path way for Nigerians to follow.’’

    Reacting to the development, National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Anayo Arinze, said that Mr Elekima was not a card-carrying member of ADC, and could therefore, not form faction of the party.

    Arinze added that Mr Elekima and his group could not be consulted on the party’s decision because they were not members of ADC.

    “Should we go about the streets and be consulting people who are not our members before we make decision as a party?’’ he asked.

  • 2019: Agbakoba-led NIM denies coalition with PDP, to merge with 15 new political parties

    The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM), being spearheaded by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), and other notable Nigerians has distanced itself from the recent merger by some political parties with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a bid to oust the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

    The group noted that it is concluding plans to make fresh merger moves with 15 political parties and groups ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    In a statement on Tuesday by its Secretary, Olubori Obafemi, NIM, which has a former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, as a member, said its ultimate aim was to dislodge the All Progressives Congress’ President Muhammadu Buhari from Aso Rock next year.

    NIM clarified that neither it nor former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement spearheaded the grand alignments that gave birth to the Coalition of United Political Parties two weeks ago.

    NIM said it was being calculated in its move, seeing how electoral alliances in Nigeria had, over the years, proved to be futile.

    Olufemi said, “Nigeria’s political history is clearly replete with failures of the electoral alliance, especially as it concerns adopting common platforms or candidates of past alliances at the critical point of elections.

    “It is to that extent that the National Secretariat of NIM was mandated in June to embark on a national consultation with leaders of political parties for the purpose of exploring the prospects of initiating a formidable alliance or merger of frontline political parties as well as groups that have yet to apply for registration with INEC or those with pending registration towards an understanding for a fusion into a common political platform for the 2019 elections in order to enable the required cohesion for ousting the ruling political platform in Nigeria.”

    Olufemi said the final stage of NIM’s merger was being driven by its leaders – Agbakoba, Duke, Buba Galadima, Ghali Na’Abba, Col. Umar Dangiwa, Dr Abdujalil Tafawa-Balewa, Senator Datti Baba Ahmed, Dr John Darah, Dr Olu Agunloye, Mallam Isa Ozi Salami “among other credible leaders of the fresh breed of political movement in Nigeria.”

     

  • 2019: No one political party dominates Coalition of Parties – NIM

    2019: No one political party dominates Coalition of Parties – NIM

    The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) has clarified that the recently inaugurated Political Grand Alliance named CUPP (Coalition of United Political Parties) was a culmination of NIM’s Initiative towards ensuring ultimate better governance of the country from May 29, 2019.

    In a Press Statement released following its Expanded Steering Committee Meeting at the weekend in Lagos, the movement debunks the notion being mischievously peddled that one of the political parties that make up the Alliance, actually initiated CUPP with the intent of surreptitiously controlling all other parties in CUPP.

    Reminding Nigerians that NIM was essentially the only member of the Alliance without a political party affiliation for now, Co-Chairman Olisa Agbakoba pointed out, “NIM’s modus operandi, ab iniitio, has been to initiate a united electoral alliance of like-minded groups, individuals and parties towards achieving a New Nigeria via the ballot box come 2019.

    So, NIM is working hard to bring more parties, including, People’s Trust, PT, our own brand new political platform into the Coalition and to end any further misperception regarding CUPP’s purpose and relevance in ensuring that Nigeria does not become a failed state where genocidal actions, brazen impunity and socio economic retrogression are the norm!”

    Continuing in same vein, NIM Co-Chairman Tafawa Balewa, noted that, “now we’ve all come together, against all odds to create a formidable political alliance, we are not surprised at the vicious propaganda being deployed against CUPP. But, come 2019, we quite assured CUPP shall be victorious Ludorum!”

  • 2019: APC, 20 others join forces to tackle PDP’s anti-Buhari coalition

    Less than twenty-four hours after a group of 38 opposition political parties led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced the formation of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) to wrestle power from the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC), another group of 20 political parties on Tuesday joined forces with the APC in an alliance to form the Coalition of Progressives Political Parties (CPPP).

    The political parties which met in Abuja to form the CPPP include; All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), United Progressive Party (UPP), Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

    Others are: Freedom Justice Party (FJP), Fresh Party (FP), New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP), Nigeria’s Peoples Congress (NPC), Nigeria Peoples Movement (NPM), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), National Action Congress (NAC) and NDLP.

    The chairman of the coalition, who is also the National chairman of PDM, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, told reporters after hours of meeting at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja that the coalition was made up of like-minded political parties who believe in Nigeria’s unity and stability.

    He noted that the coalition, which was formed in 2014 ahead of the 2015 presidential election aligned with the candidature of President Buhari, then the APC candidate.

    Ibrahim said the coalition was merely resurrected to counter the orchestrated PDP coalition against the APC-led government.

    Berating the PDP coalition, he said the parties were driven by selfishness and hunger to capture power in 2019.

    He explained that the parties that formed the coalition with the PDP lacked the agenda to drive a new Nigeria.

    The PDM chairman alleged that most of the parties in the PDP coalition were fraudulently included to sign the MoU to deceive Nigerians.

    He noted that while the Accord Party chairman and his party, the PDM, among others, abstained from the PDP meeting, their parties’ names were listed without their consent. This, he said, raised doubts about the credibility of the coalition.

    He said: “Yesterday (Monday) we woke up to a new development where PDP outside power has now managed to create another coalition. As facts continue to emerge, they listed 36 political parties. Our analysis of that coalition reveals that a number of political parties were included in that coalition fraudulently.

    “Part of the 42 political parties they listed is Accord party and the chairman of the party is here with us. If you are creating a coalition, you need to be honest about it as to who and who are members of the coalition.

    “As of today, the membership of that coalition is in doubt. Two members also listed at that coalition are here. We are not part of that coalition because we represent a political type of politics which is in total contradiction of what they are doing.

    “We do not believe that our country should be governed by people whose only objective is to capture power. For what purpose is that coalition built? Is it for the purpose of taking Nigeria back to 1999 and 2015 or is it for the purpose of building a new Nigeria?

    “That purpose has not been stated, even their in their memorandum. The only thing in their MoU is to agree to capture power in 2019. Their programme has not been made known to the Nigerian public . We will not be part of a coalition that does not have a programme for Nigeria.”

    On the objective of the CPPP coalition, Ibrahim said it was to mobilise Nigerians to play a greater role in political activities and ensure that they are given the right to elect their leaders in a free. fair and credible electoral process.

    He said the agenda included to monitor and exert pressure on INEC to uphold the sanctity of elections and to help identify security threat, among others.

    The secretary of the Coalition and National Chairman of the Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Shittu Muhammed Kabiru, noted that the coalition was to advance the course of democracy and to stabilise the economy which was mismanaged by past PDP- led governments.

    Shittu said the coalition would bring Nigeria out of economic impoverishment.

    “We want Nigerians to know that our coalition is for a new Nigeria and to advance the cause of Nigeria and democracy and also to change the country from impoverishment to economic prosperity.

    “We want Nigeria to survive. We will do everything to defend the economy of this country; we are concerned about the unity and stability of Nigeria,” Shittu said.