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Tag: Democracy

  • Suspension: Court ruling victory for democracy – Omo-Agege

    Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial district, Ovie Omo-Agege on Thursday said the judgement of the Federal High Court nullifying his suspension from the Senate is victory for democracy.

    Recall that the Senate had on April 13, suspended the senator for 90 legislative days over his comment that the amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 seeking the re-ordering of the general elections was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.

    However in his ruling on Thursday, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in a judgment that lasted an one hour, held that while the National Assembly had the power to discipline its erring members, the premise on which Omo-Agege’s suspension was anchored was illegal.

    In a statement released by his media office, Omo-Agege said his victory should be seen as a plus to Nigeria’s nascent democracy and not necessarily against the Senate.

    Read full statement below:

    IT’S VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY

    1.0. Today’s judgment by Hon. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba rightly nullifying the suspension of the Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is consistent with our firm position that the Senate as a foremost national institution should live consistently by example and set the pace in legislative best practices. We are grateful to His Lordship, and indeed the entire judiciary, for affirming once again that ours is a democracy guided by the rule of law and constitutionality.

    2.0. We want the good people of this great nation to appreciate this victory for what it is. It is not a victory against the Senate, as there is no war against that great institution. Rather, given his fine understanding of the law, Sen. Omo-Agege believes that there are rare moments that demand the intervention of our courts to enrich the law and our constitutional experience.

    3.0. Today’s positive judgement is therefore not necessarily for or about him as an individual. It is about ensuring that no lawmaker is removed arbitrarily from serving his or her people. It is about ensuring that constitutionality, legality, good conscience and due process are the cornerstones of public leadership actions and decisions.

    4.0. For their increasingly amazing support, Senator Omo-Agege is very grateful to the good people of Urhobo Nation whom he has the great honour of representing in the 8th Senate. He remains absolutely committed to their fine values of justice, honour and humility in service. His special gratitude also goes to his wonderful family, friends, and well-wishers for their prayers and overwhelming support. Above all, this victory belongs to God and to Him we give the glory.

     

    Signed:

    Prince Efe Duku

    For: The Office of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

  • Senate Invasion: Labour condemns attack; says democracy at risk

    Senate Invasion: Labour condemns attack; says democracy at risk

    A NEC Member of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Issa Aremu has condemned the invasion of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly and disruption of the Senate plenary by unknown persons on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.

    Comrade Aremu said “an injury to the National Assembly is an injury to the nation’s democracy” adding that the “Federal government probe of the invasion should be prompt and conclusive with the objective of prevention of future acts”.

    The labour leader said the unfortunate senate event was a rude awakening to all for good governance with respect to security of lives and property as contained in 1999 constitution. Comrade Aremu said what the Senate just witnessed had been “the routine lots of many defenseless Nigerians” who are daily physically assaulted by criminals in homes, on the roads and in their communities.

    Comrade Aremu said while nothing could justify thuggery at the Senate, the leadership of the National Assembly must also stop criminalizing dissenting views of democratically elected members. “The serial suspension of any members of the hallowed Chambers who hold contrary views amounts to legislative dictatorship which is also unacceptable in a democracy” he observed. Democracy is about cooperation as much as contestation and the National Assembly is the true symbol of both, he said.

    Thugs suspected to be loyal to the suspended Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial district, Ovie Omo-Agege have invaded the red chambers and forcefully taken away the mace. They broke into the chambers when plenary was going on, thereby creating serious confusion and tension.

    The Senate plenary was disrupted after suspected thugs invaded the chamber and made away with the mace. Aremu said the mass condemnation of the Senate invasion shows “there is a national consensus that democracy despite some of its shortcomings remains the best form of good governance and development for Nigeria.”

  • Attack on Senate: Saraki Commends Colleagues, House Members for Defending Democracy

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has commended the leadership and all members of the Senate for standing up firmly in defence of democracy and the rule of law with their decision to defy those who machinated an attack on the Red Chambers of the National Assembly in which the mace was forcefully taken away.

    Saraki, speaking from Washington where he is attending the Spring Meeting of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF), also lauded the swift reaction by the leadership and members of the House of Representives in demonstrating their solidarity with the red chamber and thereby sending a strong signal that enemies of democracy and those who want to undermine the legislature will be resisted by all parliamentarians.

    “I have just been informed that some hoodlums invaded the Senate chambers, forcefully taken away the mace and assaulted some of our Sergeant-at-arms on chamber duties. I am delighted that the Senate stood up to them by disregarding their unreasonable and shameful action and went on with the day’s proceedings as slated in the Order Paper.

    “My commendation goes to my deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, other members of the leadership, my colleagues, the leadership and members of the House of Representives for standing in defence of democracy, parliamentary sanctity and constitutionalism.

    “With the way the Senate has defied those seeking to undermine it, we have sent out a strong signal that we are always ready to defend our constitutional mandate and nothing will deter us from this.

    “I associate myself with the comments of the Deputy Senate President that we are ready to get to the roots of this assault on democracy and ensure that those who are responsible, no matter how remote, will be brought to justice”, Saraki stated.

  • Easter: Secondus calls for prayer for democracy to survive in Nigeria

    The National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has urged Nigerians to use the period of Easter to reflect on the situation in the country and pray for the survival of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Secondus made the call in an Easter message issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Ike Abonyi, on Friday in Abuja.

    He said that the nation’s democracy since 1999 had been under heavy stress and needed all hands to be on the deck to survive.

    The chairman said Nigeria’s democracy required only truth and sincerity of purpose from critical stakeholders to survive.

    He urged leaders to stand up for the truth and save the country from deteriorating.

    Secondus commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida and former Minister of Defence General Theophilus Danjuma for saying the truth about the state of the nation.

    “Indicators are apparent that the country is under siege and Nigerians should use this solemn period of Easter to pray for God to intervene and raise good leaders for the country,’’ he said.

    Secondus advised the APC-led Federal Government to imbibe the spirit of tolerance and shun all undemocratic tendencies that might heighten tension in the land.

    He urged Christians to see the Easter festivity as ample period to exhibit positive attitudes toward one another.

    The chairman assured Nigerians that the new PDP that would emerge after reformation would take the country to the next level having been equipped with the requisite experience.

    He admonished Nigerian leaders to absorb the lessons of Easter and allow it influence their conducts, especially as it concerned less privileged persons in the society.

    Secondus wished all Nigerians a very happy Easter celebration and urged them to live in peace with one another.

     

  • Underage voting: INEC is threatening Nigeria’s democracy, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, that there are no underage voters in Kano State as a despicable act of cowardice and threat to the nation’s democracy.

    The PDP said the INEC Chairman, in allowing the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to push him to make such false declaration, despite manifest documentary evidence in the public domain and even by INEC officials, has cast a huge doubt on the sincerity of INEC to conduct a fair, free and credible elections, come 2019.

    PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Sunday, said the commission has obliterated a huge part of its honour by denying what is obvious to all instead of taking urgent steps to clean up the register and correct all anomalies ahead of 2019 general elections.

    When Prof Yakubu set up his committee of handpicked INEC officials, instead of deploying stakeholders, comprising of political parties and credible NGOs, the PDP immediately alerted of a grand design to use the panel to arrive at predetermined findings and cover the illegality for the APC. Today, we have been vindicated.

    We invite Nigerians and the international community to note the sequence of plots by INEC and the APC to hide the existence of underage voters in Kano and Katsina states.

    Nigerians will recall that when the issue first came to the fore, the APC mounted a staunch and unyielding defence for INEC, thus betraying their vested interests in the illegality.

    INEC, on its own part, issued an initial reaction confirming the existence of underage voting in the February 10, 2018 Kano council poll but attempted to shift the blame to the Kano state government which conducted that poll.

    When confronted with the fact that it was INEC and not Kano state that registered the minors and issued them with valid voters card, the commission again tried to exonerate itself by claiming that its officials registered the minors following threats by the communities.

    In the face of these INEC’s embarrassing dances, how then did Prof. Yakubu’s committee arrive at its findings when even officials of INEC, including those who superintended over the registration of the minors, had already declared the reasons behind their action?

    The entire world is shocked at how INEC under Prof. Yakubu is caving into pressure by APC to manipulate processes leading to the 2019 general election.

    In any case, we hope Prof. Yakubu understands that the APC is only setting him up against Nigerians but we caution that he should not allow himself to be used to throw our nation into chaos and confusion.

    He should therefore extricate himself by allowing a credible inquest that will sanitize the register in Kano, Katsina and other states as nothing short of that will be accepted by Nigerians.

     

  • Politicians greatest threat to Nigeria’s democracy — Jega

    A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, on Thursday said politicians were the greatest threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

    Jega said this at an election programme — Watching the Vote Series — with the theme “Is Nigeria’s Democracy Under Threat? organised by Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA) in Abuja.

    According to him, the biggest threat is the recklessness of politicians to undermine Nigeria’s democracy, thereby destabilising the process of development.

    He said “Nigeria like all countries face threats to its democracy, we must identify the threats that have the tendency to derail the development of our democracy and address them.

    “We must also checkmate the threats of politicians to undermine our democracy because all we need now is adding value to the process.

    “We also need to mobilise our people in towns and villages to be part of the electoral process and ensure that we do not engage in authoritarian reversal which would take us several years to get back on track.

    “The signals are there, the fragility of the system is evident; we are a country with enormous systemic security challenges.”

    The former INEC boss, therefore, advised that Nigerians should have quality representatives that would provide good governance and protect the interest of the people.

    Garba Abari, the Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), said Nigeria’s democracy was under threat and the signs and indicators were evident.

    Abari stressed the need for government to partner CSOs to educate Nigerians on elections to especially curb invalid votes.

    He said NOA was concerned about the number of invalid votes that kept recurring during elections, adding that there was need to educate the electorate on election procedure.

    The Executive Director of YIAGA, Samson Itodo, said with barely 358 days to the 2019 elections, there was need for Nigerians to redesign what the future of the nation would look like.

    Itodo said the election programme was timely as it was aimed at assessing the state of Nigeria’s democracy and to chart the way forward.

  • Strong political parties key to delivering dividends of democracy – Dogara

    Strong political parties key to delivering dividends of democracy – Dogara

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called for the strengthening of political parties in Nigeria in order to make them more competitive.

    He said this while receiving a delegation from the International Republican Institute, led by its President, Mr. Daniel Twinning.

    Dogara said that though the electoral process is of utmost importance, emphasis must also be laid on ensuring that credible elections translate into good governance and delivering dividends of democracy.

    “The concern before was that when you begin to talk about democracy, people just go straight to the ballot. Even though the ballot is essential for the growth and sustenance of democracy in ensuring that the will of the people is not supplanted in the process of translating that will from the choices the citizens have made to positions in governance. But the ballot has also produced enemies of democracy and democracy has to be competitive.”

    “For it to be competitive, the political parties must be very strong in the sense that they can cooperate but at least, they must remain competitive. If they are not competitive at the end of the day, it may be one political structure mushrooming into other political structures. We had that kind of situation in Nigeria here, where I think one of the late sages in Nigeria described the five political parties in Nigeria as fingers of a leprous hand.”

    “The challenge is not just organising elections that are transparent, competitive and meet all the criteria of a democratic election, but the point is what does that election translate into in the effective running of the government and the delivery of what we know here locally as dividends of democracy?”

    The Speaker further stressed the need to deepen democracy in Nigeria in order to live up to the yearnings and expectations of the Nigerian people.

    “It may not be the best, but the point is, it is the best that we know and we have to do everything possible to ensure that we deepen our democratic experience and practices in such a way that governance will meet the expectations and yearnings of citizens.”

    He also raised concerns about prevalent practices in political parties whereby elected officials are termed leaders of the party. He said that this prevents parties from being truly independent and warned of attendant consequences on the democratic process.

    “There is one problem that we must address in this country and that is that elected officials, especially those in the Executive, are always regarded as leaders of the political party. That is where we have a very serious problem in this country and if an elected Executive is the leader of the political party, the situation you find on ground is that every political actor within the entire party architecture must pander to the whims and caprices of that elected official.”

    Speaking further on the need to strengthen political parties, the Speaker made reference to current happenings in South Africa which, he said, demonstrated that political parties in the country are actually independent.

    Speaking earlier during the visit, the President of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Mr. Daniel Twinning stated that the work of the organisation is focused on helping political parties to be more competitive, more transparent and supporting democratic engagement.

    He revealed that a major underlying reason for the meeting is to get political parties to interact more with elected officials and stressed the importance of following manifestos.

    Mr. Twinning also spoke on the importance of Nigeria to democratic development not just in Africa, but on a global scale.

    “We think Nigeria is central to the future of Africa and central to the future of the world. We are really excited by what is happening in Nigeria. We see all over the world how democracy is under pressure including in the developed world from populism to extremism from young people who don’t feel connected to the system. Part of our work is really about trying to optimise democracy and help it deliver for the public.”
    The Speaker thanked the delegation for the work done on the Continent and pledged the support of the House towards strengthening political parties and attaining other democratic ideals.

  • We are committed to entrenching sound democratic principles- INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is committed to entrenching sound democratic principles in Nigeria and meeting international standards of election management and processes.

    Mr Ethelbert Oranebo, the Electoral Officer in Okigwe Local Government area of Imo, made the commitment on Wednesday.

    He made the pledge at a town hall meeting of Okigwe Stakeholders with the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo, Prof. Francis Ezeonu.

    Oranebo, who was represented by Mr Ndubueze Nwaokoro, the Secretary Okigwe Local Government, said the meeting was to partner with major stakeholders in the electoral process.

    He said that the meeting was also to fine tune strategies to ensure all-inclusive processes.

    Orange said that the electoral commission in the local government area had successfully concluded the first, second and third phases of registration of voters, stressing that they were in the first of the 2018 exercise.

    According to Oranebo, the commission has successfully concluded the movement of Direct Data Capture Machine (DDC) in four wards in the local government namely, Ihube, Ogii, Umualumoke and Umulolo.

    He said that of the total 51,770 voters registered between 2014 and 2015, 17, 464 voter cards were yet to be collected in the local government.

    “Today, this town hall meeting is being organised purposely to create awareness with the view to promoting mass participation in the electoral process in Okigwe local government in particular and Imo in general,” he said.

    Oranebo thanked the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and the Inter-Agency Advisory Committee on Voter Education and Publicity for the cooperation and support.

    He urged stakeholders to continue to assist the commission for it to be able to impart knowledge about the procedure and encourage positive attitude and behavour that would make the exercise in Okigwe free from violence and malpractices.

    Prof. Francis Ezeonu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo, stressed the importance of stakeholders, saying that INEC could not do it alone.

    He expressed regret for the lo turn out of people at the ongoing voter registration exercise and urged participants to take the message on the need for everyone to get registered back to the community.

    The electoral commissioner said he had been meeting with stakeholders from political, religious, women groups, youth leaders, civil society organisations and others on the voter registration and would carry the sensitization to all the 27 local government areas of the state.

    Ezeonu said that the Anambra election was a testimony that it would no longer be business as usual as the commission had put things in place to ensure peoples’ votes counted.

    “INEC is making efforts to tighten the ropes to avoid rigging.

    “Power is now in the hand of the people. It is no more business as usual; no more re-writing of results. Power has shifted to the voters. Party members are therefore advised to engage in effective campaign,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the stakeholders commended INEC for the sensitisation exercise.

    They, however, complained of the limited number of days assigned for the voter registration in each ward.

    They equally complained of delay in collection of permanent voter cards and the limited number of registration machines, which they said, would make it difficult for all persons to be captured within the time frame.

    Mr Emeka Ozurumba, Zonal Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Okigwe, expressed gratitude to INEC on the enlightenment campaign and the manner it conducted the Anambra election.

    Mr Tony Azumugha, the Special Adviser to Sen. Ben Uwajimogu, a Member Representing Okigwe Senatorial Zone, also complained of low turnout of people for the registration.

    He urged INEC to bring out more machines to ensure more eligible voters would be registered.

  • Facebook says it can’t guarantee social media is good for democracy

    Facebook says it can’t guarantee social media is good for democracy

    Facebook Inc warned on Monday that it could offer no assurance that social media was on balance good for democracy.

    The company, however, said it was trying what it could to stop alleged meddling in elections by Russia or anyone else.

    The sharing of false or misleading headlines on social media has become a global issue, after accusations that Russia tried to influence votes in the United States, Britain and France.

    Moscow denies the allegations.

    Facebook, the largest social network with more than two billion users, addressed social media’s role in democracy in blog posts from a Harvard University professor, Cass Sunstein, and from an employee working on the subject.

    “I wish I could guarantee that the positives are destined to outweigh the negatives, but I can‘t,” Samidh Chakrabarti, a Facebook product manager, wrote in his post.

    Facebook, he added, has a “moral duty to understand how these technologies are being used and what can be done to make communities like Facebook as representative, civil and trustworthy as possible.”

    Contrite Facebook executives were already fanning out across Europe this week to address the company’s slow response to abuses on its platform, such as hate speech and foreign influence campaigns.

    U.S. lawmakers have held hearings on the role of social media in elections, and this month Facebook widened an investigation into the run-up to Britain’s 2016 referendum on EU membership.

    Chakrabarti expressed Facebook’s regrets about the 2016 U.S. elections, when according to the company Russian agents created 80,000 posts that reached around 126 million people over two years.

    The company should have done better, he wrote, and he said Facebook was making up for lost time by disabling suspect accounts, making election ads visible beyond the targeted audience and requiring those running election ads to confirm their identities.

    Twitter Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google and YouTube have announced similar attempts at self-regulation.

    Chakrabarti said Facebook had helped democracy in ways, such as getting more Americans to register to vote.

    Sunstein, a law professor and Facebook consultant who also worked in the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama, said in a blog post that social media was a work in progress and that companies would need to experiment with changes to improve.

    Another test of social media’s role in elections lies ahead in March, when Italy votes in a national election already marked by claims of fake news spreading on Facebook.

     

  • Benue Massacre: Ex-minister writes open letter to Buhari, says ‘You have betrayed democracy and promoted suicide’

    A second republic senator and former minister, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, has written a provocative open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the recent killings allegedly perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen.

    Hagher, also a former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico noted in his letter that the killings in Benue and other parts of the country has escalated and it was time the President stand up to his constitutional responsiblities before another civil war broke out.

    Read full letter below:

    Jan 5th, 2018.
    HIS EXCELLENCY,
    President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.
    President and Commander-in-Chief
    Of the Armed Forces of the
    Federal Republic of Nigeria
    Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja

    Your Excellency Mr. President,


    YOU HAVE BETRAYED DEMOCRACY AND PROMOTED GENOCIDE


    I would have loved to wish you a happy new year, but I am not a hypocrite. I am not happy and nobody in Benue is happy today, because many of our citizens did not have a happy new 2018. Genocide on citizens of Nigeria has escalated in earnest in Benue State. This genocide has turned their happiness to nightmare and death. Let me also apologize for making this letter public. It is not in my character. In this case there is an emergency and urgency, which cannot wait.


    I am pained that you ignored my advice in my private memorandum to you dated 30th July 2016. I had warned you of the possibility of a horrendous genocide in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, and Southern Adamawa States. I asked you to be proactive and stop the genocide that has been ongoing but which would burst out in the open and shock the world within 18 months. Your office replied my letter on September, 28th 2016, and the reply was couriered to me in the United States, thanking me “immensely” and giving me the assurances that the advice would be heeded.


    With the current situation on ground, I regret to now inform you that it is seventeen months since my warning and prediction and your government did nothing to pre-empt or prevent the genocide. The nomadic terrorists have finally accelerated the ethnic cleansing in Benue State. They have strategically moved against the Tiv, the largest minority ethnicity in northern Nigeria. These perpetrators believe that if they can ethnic cleanse the Tiv, then nobody can stand in their way to possess the land and carve a new geo-polity and demography for the middle-belt.


    1. Now that you have allowed the genocide in the Middle Belt to go on unimpeded you have betrayed your campaign promise to Nigerians that your government ‘‘will always act in time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester’’. In allowing the Benue genocide to take place your government has acted irresponsibly and has allowed problems to fester and failed to act on time. You have also failed to lead from the front; giving the impression that centrifugal forces around you are dictating vicious anti-people agenda!

    2. Mr. President, the protection of lives and property of the citizens is more important than your war against corruption! The protection of lives of citizens is the most sacred responsibility of the state and your presidency. Your government has failed woefully in this regard. Mr President there is no greater corruption than the government looking the other way while the strong bullies and kills the weak with impunity and pleasure!


    3. Your Excellency, in your passion (monomania, I think!) to rid the country of corruption, you have totally ignored nation building and ended up with a very divided country. You have failed your immediate Northern constituency by your inability, failure or lack of the political will to end northern poverty through measures that enhance school enrolment, promote girl-child education, and revive dead industries. You became Nigeria’s president on the altar of northern unity when the northern minorities abandoned President Goodluck Jonathan to vote for you. You have now desecrated that altar. By refusing to arrest those that brutally butchered defenseless innocent Benue women and children, you have imperiled northern unity and taken sides with evil.


    4. Many Nigerians think you have failed the country by the lack of a clear vision and a lack of capacity to provide needed infrastructure and a composite holistic development; more significantly, they think you have failed to institute a political culture of integrity. You are often compared with the lone King Sisyphus of Ephyra who was punished by the gods to roll an immense border up the hill, only to watch it roll back down, then condemned to repeat the same rolling action forever. This is the picture people have in mind of your war against endemic corruption. You honestly deserve pity and prayers, but certainly not support for a second term.


    5. Nobody can deny that you still have a horde of admirers, which still look up to you with great admiration; however, the Benue genocide seriously questions your integrity, and your capacity to lead a plural modern state. Is there a rule of law in this country? Why does the Miyetti Allah act with so much impunity? Is this because this terrorist group claims you as their life patron? Do not accept the clamor of those who for their personal political reasons urge you to contest in the 2019 election to be a second term president! Mr. President, please rise above the impression being given that you are just another power obsessed and hungry politician!


    6. Step aside and open the political space for another person to continue your war against corruption with a more comprehensive development program that Nigeria needs and deserves. For now, modernize infrastructure and try to banish poverty. And while your party campaigns for 2019, take a sabbatical from partisanship and build national unity, good governance and concentrate on getting rid of Boko Haram and the Herdsmen Terrorists. After all, great people are not great for winning elections; rather they are known to be great by the legacy they leave behind. With what legacy do you wish the country to remember you for? It is unfortunate that family members of those that were hacked to death will remember you as the genocide president!


    Your Excellency Mr. President,

    I remain respectfully Sir,

    Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher. Ph.D. OON. FSONTA, FIMC, CMC.

    President African Leadership Institute USA.
    Former High Commissioner to Canada
    Former Ambassador to Mexico
    Former Minister (2 times)
    Former Constitutional Conference member
    and 2nd Republic Senator