Tag: #NigeriaDecides2023

TNG 2023 SERIES: The Governorship Race: The Outlook in Abia

Prior to the onset of the active campaign season, the outlook in the Abia governorship succession looked quite predictable. The state has remained a sure bet for the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Outgoing governor Okezie Ikpeazu is the third in a succession of PDP governors following after Orji Kalu and Theodore Orji, both serving senators respectively. Mr. Orji Kalu is however currently in the ruling APC. In fact, governor Ikpeazu is in the race for the Abia South senate seat in the February election. If he succeeds, Abia would acquire the distinction of being the only state where all the senatorial seats are occupied by former governors.

After the last party conventions, it seemed obvious and natural to expect that Dr. Ikpeazu would be succeeded by a PDP candidate of his choosing. Political gladiators in the state were mostly gravitating towards the incumbent governor and his choice of a successor to get their bearing.

The relative strength of the PDP and governor Ikpeazu in particular in Abia state derives from his support base in the Ukwa -Ngwa axis. The zone boasts of a convenient demographic majority which, for a long time, had been marginalized from the governorship position in the state for a long time. Power in the state has from inception been dominated by persons from Abia North.

It was only under Theodore Orji that the seat came to Abia Central which consists of Umuahia and parts of Ukwa -Ngwa axis. Under Mr. Theodore Orji, based on pragmatic considerations, there was a political understanding that governrship power would go to the core Ukwa -Ngwa axis after Theodore Orji’s tenure. Governor Ikpeazu is the first beneficiary of that understanding and therefore the first Ukwa-Ngwa man to hold the office of governor in Abia state.

There was up to the immediate post convention period that no credible threat to the PDP hegemony in the state. The All Progressive Congress (APC) was the next most powerful contender to the governorship seat. The major presumptive governorship aspirants from the APC are Mr. Uche Ogar, immediate former minister of Solid Minerals and Mr. Ikechi Emenike, a free lance business man and close associate of incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari.

However, both men have kept each other busy in a slew of lawsuits. By the latest series of conflicting rulings, both men have now neutralized each other to the point that both of them are literally disqualified from effectively contesting the February election. That literally seals the fate of the APC and leaves the field open to the other contending parties.

This literally left the winning field at first open to the PDP. Mr. Ikpeazu’s preference of a successor is Professor Ikonne, former Vice Chancellor of Abia State University. That choice sent ripples across the PDP membership in the state. Opposition to the choice was based on his age (he is above 70) as well as the implicit defiance of staunch party loyalists. Governor Ikpeazu stood his grounds and got away with his choice since Prof Ikonne is also an Ukwa-Ngwa man. But even among the Ukwa-Ngwa political elite, the choice of Ikonned has remained a contentious matter especially from the youth.

There have, however, been two major twists to the tale of the
Abia governorship succession in recent times. First, the PDP candidate has been ill and in and out of hospitals at home and abroad for most of the campaign season. For most part, he has not been available to participate in the campaigns. This has created a virtual vacuum in the governorship slot of the state as governor Ikpeazu has been left to fill a campaign vacancy for a seat he cannot be contesting for, having used up his two terms. The sense of vacuum has been intensified by Ikpeazu’s flirtation with the governor Wike led Group of five dissident PDP governors opposed to the Atiku Abubajar presidential ticket.

This sense of vacuum has thrown the PDP into uncertainty and confusion. The party is under pressure to either field a late replacement for Prof. Ikonne or accept the inevitable bitter loss of governorship power in the state.

While the PDP has been grappling with the natural but unfortunate misfortune of the ill health of its governorship candidate, the Peter Obi-led Labour Party (LP) has come onto the national scene as a formidable political force. With huge and raging national followership, the Obi movement has quickly garnered massive support in Abia state as in the rest of the south east and indeed the nation.

With the familiar face of Mr. Alex Otti, former Managing Director of Diamond Bank and two -time governorship candidate, as its flag bearer in the state, LP has been increasing in strength and followership. Recent reports have indicated massive daily decampments of PDP member into the Labour camp in support of both Peter Obi for president and Alex Otti for governor respectively.

If this trend continues, the clear indication is that Labour Party could produce the next governor of the state. But Mr. Otti has carried a burden of ancestry in his political career and repeated contests for the governorship of the state. He hails from Arochukwu in Abia North but grew up and is resident in Ngwa land. He is by right a full citizen of both zones of the state. He is both an Ngwa man and an Aro son. This has been something of a burden as some politicians in Ngwaland have been reluctant to recognize him as a legitimate son of the zone while he has been absent from the political consciousness of the Aro people of Abia North. But the crisis in the PDP seems t have played largely in his favour by replacing his ancestral burden with a more compelling national and pan Igbo interest in Peter Obi’s emergence.

Nonetheless, the other minority party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is showing some promise in the governorship contest in Abia. Its candidate, one Mr. Greg Ibe , is showing some presence. His strength seems to derive form his previous philanthropic efforts targeted at the youth coupled with the fact that he hails from the populous Ukwa-Ngwa axis. But he does not have the ready name recognition of Alex Otti. It is important to note that APGA had previously built up an impressive support base in the state when the party was being positioned as a key pan Igbo party in the mould of the Awo led Yoruba interest parties of old hence its dominance in Ojukwu’s Anambra state. Former Biafran leader Odumegwu Ojukwu, having failed to occupy centre stage in the old NPN was driven to form an ethnic based political party in the mopuld of the late Obafemi Awolowo. He was seeking to control the political destiny of the igbo states at least. That was the origin of APGA.
Mr. Ibe’s chances will depend on whether that original myth can be resurrected and weaponized to compete with the Peter Obi wave and rave of the moment.

If the present configuration of political forces remains as is, the fortunes of the PDP in Abia state seem rather bleak. On the other hand, the chances of a Labour Party governor in Abia state are indeed clear , present and bright.

January 25, 2023
#NigeriaDecides2023: Sultan counsels Nigerians on who to vote for

Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has told Nigerians to vote for leaders with reputable character in the 2023 general elections.

Abubakar made the call on Thursday while addressing participants at the 29th regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources (NCWR) in Sokoto.

The Sultan said as the general elections were approaching Nigerians needed to use their votes wisely.

“Nigerians need to think and rethink of who they are casting their votes to. We should not consider the religious or ethnic backgrounds of any body we are voting for but Nigeria first.

“Our country should be our priority above any thing and not voting any person who may worsen our present challenges,” he warned.

Abubakar added that for Nigeria to progress as a nation, Nigerians needed to put ethnicity aside and face the reality.

The Sultan said:”Our country is far better than many countries of the world in terms of security.

“Therefore, we should continue to support and appreciate our country and leaders with prayers in order to be able to address our challenges.

Abubakar appreciated the Federal Government, the Minister of Water Resources and the officials of the ministry for choosing Sokoto State to hold the council meeting.

January 19, 2023
Nigeria Decides 2023: Atiku unveils plan for South-West Nigeria

Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Thursday unveiled his plan for the South Western region of the country if he is elected president in the forthcoming general elections.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Atiku, while addressing PDP supporters on Thursday at the popular Mapo Hall in Ibadan, disclosed his government will make the South-West region the industrial hub of the country if elected as the nation’s President.

“I am committed to making sure that industrialisation of the South-West is achieved and has the support of the Federal Government. There are five major commitments to the people of this country.

“We must make sure there is unity; we must make sure there is inclusion of every part of this country in our government.

“We will also make sure that security situation is under control, so that there will be peace, law and order in every part of this country” Atiku said.

The PDP presidential candidate solicited the votes of the people of Oyo State with a pledge that his administration would provide good governance for Nigerians.

In his remarks, the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, said PDP has a great dream for the country, adding that the party was gradually bringing the dreams to bear before APC took over power.

Ayu called on all aggrieved members of the party, including the G-5 Governors led by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers to return to the party to collectively work toward its success in the forthcoming general elections.

Gov. Seyi Makinde was absent at the campaign rally.

The PDP chieftains including the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Mrs Titilayo Abubakar; Sen. Dino Melaye and former Minister of State for FCT, Jumoke Akinjide were present at the campaign.

January 19, 2023
The president we all need (3) – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

If Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had a bit of sensitive conscience he would have gone down in sackcloth and ashes a long time ago in penance apologizing to Nigerian people for causing them untold hardships and pains by charting a course that led to the emergence of a plague called Mohammadu Buhari. The first plague occurred from 2015 to 2019. As if that plague was not hurtful and damaging enough, the same Tinubu engineered another course for the return of the same plague in 2019. That plague, as we speak, continues to hurt us day by day. Instead of going down on his knees and apologizing to Nigerians for causing this plague to be, Tinubu has the effrontery to be going around and chorusing E mi lo kan as if Nigeria were his inheritance or his father’s fiefdom.

The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance that if you lose your wealth, you have lost nothing: if you lose your health, you’ve lost something; but if you lose your character you’ve lost everything. You see, character is the core of our existence. It is the core of who you are. Show me your character and I will tell you who you are. Bereft of character a man or a woman is an empty vessel notwithstanding that he or she may have succeeded in amassing monumental material wealth for himself or herself. This is the point contained in the latest letter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo endorsing Peter Obi. “None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particular looking at where the country is today and the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi, as a metee has an edge”, writes Obasanjo

I don’t know whether you have listened to a certain video clip that has been making the rounds. It is a video clip of Bishop Samuel Olumakinde Olawode of the Maranatha Lord Cometh Ministries, Ibadan, Oyo State. In that video clip, the outspoken Bishop was conducting a church service. Apparently sensing that many members of his congregation may be contemplating voting for Tinubu/Shettima in the 2023 presidential election, he said to his congregation: “I have discovered that it is the society that reproduces the leader. When we shout about the leaders, we are the ones that produce them. We are the ones that put people that we want there, and they represent who we are. How many of you have a candidate in mind you wish he could win. Those of you that want to vote, I want to pray a prayer for you. That man you want to vote for, may your children have his character and destiny, in Jesus name. Nobody is saying “amen”?. “That man that you are rooting for, shouting on Facebook and shouting about, may your great grandchildren behave like him. May they act like him, may they behave like him”.

Expectedly, no member of Bishop Olawode’s congregation answered “Amen”. Instead of answering: “Amen’, they all turned and started looking at the faces of one another and chuckling down with laughter. They knew that the presidential candidate whom they are contemplating voting for on February 25 does not have good character worth emulating by their children or grandchildren. So, they all kept mum and refused to answer “Amen”. None of them want the character of their children or their grandchildren to resemble the character of the man whom they are contemplating voting for on February 25. Obviously Obasanjo and Bishop Olawode are not saying anything new. There is no culture or democracy in the world that extols bad character. Instead, all democracies in the world cherish good character. At the threshold of elections such as we are now in Nigeria, the people normally dig into the past of political contestants to ascertain their character. In the case of Tinubu, all the things that have been dug up about him attest that he lacks character and therefore doesn’t merit the votes of the electorate.

Even if we overlook Tinubu’s character, we cannot overlook his ailment. His demeanour and utterances during his recent political campaigns and recent public outings show that he is not well. Tinubu is incapacitated to function as President. To begin with, he is about 85 now. So, age is not on his side anymore. He is too old to withstand the rigors intertwined with the exercise of power of the President. Gone were the days when old men were elected to power to probably die wielding power. Today the world electorate prefers electing youngsters to shoulder the arduous task of governance. For us in Nigeria, considering the gargatuum tax payers’ money incurred by the government in the medical treatment of former sick President Yar’ Adua and the current President Buhari, we cannot afford to elect another sick President on February 25. Pastor Oyedepo vividly recaptures it: “You can’t hand over a sick country to a sick President”. Tinubu is sick. He suffers from urinary inconvenience. Occasionally his hands can be seen visibly shaking suggesting he suffers from Parkinson. He easily loses his balance in public. He seems to be suffering from progressive disease that impairs his cognitive thinking abilities. The same illness slurs his speech. His cognitive thinking decline has so overcome the better part of him that he doesn’t succeed in saying what he intends to say or doing what he intends to do. For example, whenever he wants to say one thing another thing spontaneously comes out from his mouth. In one video clip, he was heard asking his followers to get their APV instead of PVC.

Worse still, Tinubu’s listeners or audience hardly understand him. I agree with Rueben Abati that the man should speak the language the electorate understands. Oftentimes he speaks unintelligently blurring his words like “blablue blue blab” as if he is speaking “in tongue”. Is this how he will be speaking if elected President of Nigeria? The other day he was asked to test whether the microphone he was about to use to speak was working, and he ended up licking the microphone to the embarrassment of everybody. This is serious. It means that if the man becomes our President he would be going for medical tourism in London as President Buhari has been doing. Already Tinubu has been frequenting London for medical tourism. He is not President yet he has been frequenting London for medical treatment. Imagine what would happen if he becomes our President. He would close shop in Nigeria and start junketing to and fro London for medical treatment, of course, at the expense of the country. So, come February 25 2023 we must vote for a much younger and more intelligent presidential aspirant with the requisite good health, energy and drive to perform the arduous tasks of the President. As Obama’s wife Michelle Obama rightly observed, being a President does not change who the President is rather it reveals who the President is. According to her, if a presidential candidate is useless during his political campaigns he would equally be useless as President.

Even if we overlook Tinubu’s character, ill-health and his other incapacities, we cannot overlook the fact that Kashim Shettima is his running mate. Shettima is not only enmeshed in a credibility crisis he is strongly allegedly linked with terrorist killings in Nigeria. Besides, Shettima vows he will continue from where President Buhari stopped if he becomes the Vice-President. He brags he owes nobody any apology for that. He talks arrogantly. More importantly, if he is allegedly linked with the on-going terrorist killings in Nigeria, why should the voters vote for Tinubu/Shettima?

January 19, 2023
Nigeria Decides 2023: Level of preparations okay – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it’s leaving no stone unturned in its quest to ensure a hitch-free and credible 2023 general election.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, INEC, said this when he addressed the press at Chatham House, London, on Tuesday.

Yakubu said that INEC was satisfied with the level of its of preparations for the election, saying that 11 out of 14 activities scheduled for the election had been accomplished.

He, however, said that in spite of extensive preparations, there were still some outstanding issues and challenges of concern, some of which were beyond INEC.

Yakubu said that one of the problems had to do with the current security challenges in the country and the possible impact on the election.

He said security challenges in many African countries remained source of concern for election managers.

“For many years, Nigeria has been grappling with its own insecurity In the North-East, the long-standing Boko Haram insurgency has continued, albeit with attacks now more intermittent than regular.

“In the North-West and the North Central, banditry, terrorism and the herder-farmer conflicts remain major challenges.

“In the South-South, the threat of renewed insurgency by groups demanding more share of petroleum revenue to the Niger Delta continues to simmer.

“In the SouthWest, although an earlier surge by a group demanding independence for the region has considerably dissipated, recent violent attacks on places of worship, rise in the activities of violent cults and kidnapping groups, as well as a history of violence involving groups seeking to control markets and motor parks remain strong,” he said.

Yakubu added:“In the South-East, the lingering agitation for separatism championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) pose a major security threat.

“Not only have violent attacks by a number of armed groups increased, the long-standing weekly lockdown of the five States in that geo-political zone, continue to disrupt social and economic activities.”

He said that violence and threat of violence were major challenges to organising credible election in 2023.

He said that violence could make deployments for elections difficult, particularly where some of the attacks were targeted at the electoral process and participants.

Yakubu however, said that the commission had been working with security agencies and other stakeholders to establish mechanisms to understand, track and mitigate security challenges.

“We are working collaboratively in the context of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

“We also have the Election Violence Mitigation and Advocacy Tool (EVMAT), which is a research and diagnostic tool for predicting and mitigating election violence prior to elections.

“In addition, there is the Election Risk Management Tool (ERM), which tracks and reports general risks to elections.

“In all, we feel assured by the actions we have taken and our collaboration with the security agencies. The 2023 general election will proceed as planned. There is no plan to postpone the election,” he said.

Yakubu said that another challenge was the fate of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and rising attacks on INEC facilities, materials and staff.

He said that although INEC had revised its policy on IDPs voting, it was difficult to identify IDPs in some states as they lived in host communities or extended family members or in communities where they were not registered voters.

“As a result, it is very difficult for the Commission to provide necessary electoral services to such IDPs. However, those in camps within Nigeria will be catered for in line with the commission’s policy,” he said.

Yakubu said that between 2019 and 2022 INEC experienced 50 attacks on its facilities, mostly in the form of arson and vandalisation.

He said that the 2022 attacks constituted the deepest concerns for INEC.

“This is so not only because they are increasingly happening closer to the general election, but also because some of them seem to be coordinated,” he said.

Yakubu said that the implication of the attacks was that those facilities must be rebuilt and several election materials must be replaced.

“Further, the commission and security agencies must have to increase the number of their personnel to these facilities.

“Nevertheless, the commission is determined to continue its preparations for the general election in spite of these attacks.

“So far, all the destroyed facilities will be rebuilt, or alternatives found, and the materials lost are being replaced.

“However, the commission has repeatedly called for more concerted efforts to control the attacks,” he said.

He listed other challenges to include campaign violence, fake news and disinformation, campaign finance and vote buying as well as litigations.

Yakubu said that in spite of the challenges, INEC had promised Nigerians and friends of Nigeria that the 2023 general election would be free, fair, credible and inclusive.

“We have left no stone unturned in preparing for it, in spite of several challenges.

“But all elections, especially those involving the type of extensive national deployment like we do in Nigeria, will naturally come with challenges.

“We have worked closely with stakeholders and development partners to confront these challenges and we are satisfied with our preparations so far.

“Our commission does not take the pledge that we have repeatedly made to Nigerians lightly. We are leaving no stone unturned in our preparations,” he said.

Yakubu renewed INEC’s commitment to serving Nigerians only as an independent body.

“We cherish the institutional independence and integrity of the commission.

“With the enthusiasm of Nigerians, the goodwill of stakeholders and partners, and the commitment of the Commission, we believe that the 2023 general election will be among the best conducted in Nigeria,” he said.

He acknowledged that there were enormous expectations, both within Nigeria and outside, on the conduct and management of the election.

Yakubu said that those expectations placed a great responsibility on INEC, a responsibility that was not taken lightly.

“We appreciate that there are challenges and concerns. But we also realise that there is enormous goodwill and support, both in Nigeria and beyond,” he said.

January 18, 2023
For the Nigerian Youth, 2023 is a defining moment – By Dakuku Peterside

Will 2023 be a defining moment for the Nigerian youth and the future of Nigeria? Obviously a slippery question that deserves attention. The most recent Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voter registration data suggests that youths have a historic role to play in the forthcoming election. They have an incredible demographic advantage and, if they choose, can decide the outcome of the election in any way they deem favourable to Nigeria.

However, the crucial rhetorical question to consider is: will Nigerian youths constructively deploy this demographic power to influence the outcome of the elections and redefine the future of Nigeria, or would they sacrifice it on the altar of immediate convenience of primordial sensibilities of ethno-religious sentiment, political party affiliation, and economic considerations? The youths are the most powerful voting bloc by number, and ironically they seem unaware of the power they have to decide the fate of power strugglers and reshape the political landscape of this country to the way they want. Achieving this requires the youths coagulating into one potent and unique power bloc in the Nigerian firmament.

INEC recently released updated voter registration data showing the distribution by age group. The data revealed that 37,060,399 registered voters constituting 39.65%, are youth between the ages of 18 and 34; 33,413,591 (35.75%) are middle-aged persons between the ages of 35 and 49; 17,700,270 (18.94%) are elderly voters between the ages of 50 and 69 while 5,294,748 (5.66%) are senior citizens aged 70 and above. If you chose 39.65% or 75.4%, assuming you extend the definition of youth to age 49, it is a demographic you must recognise. Nonetheless, we shall restrict ourselves to ages 18 to 34 as a youth for this conversation.

This age group still made up about 40percent of the registered voters and, if properly mobilised, can tilt the balance of political election outcome to whom they choose. The key to achieving this lies in mobilising youth to participate in voting. And articulating their voices into one coherent voice in support of a political ideology and ideologues who they believe will not only stem our slide into perdition but will also radically change our fortunes – repositioning Nigeria into a country that harnesses its great potential for the benefit of all.

Judging from historical antecedents, achieving this is a herculean task requiring more than any candidate or party is doing now in their campaigns. Our youths are more open to the political process than we have thought of in the past. They have always participated in the political process by joining political parties, participating in election campaign activities, engaging with parties and government officials, and engaging in communal activities with political ramifications.

Political candidates recognise the nuisance value of some young people that during elections, the de facto youth leaders are the toast of every candidate and mobilising them into a dangerous and sinister team ready to die to do the bidding of their masters by scattering the electoral process or defending it depending on what their transducers require of them. However, the youth participate less in the most critical aspect of the electoral process – voting. Herein lies the conundrum, how can youths influence the country’s leadership when there is enormous voting apathy among them, and the few that vote are not coordinated to vote en bloc to influence the outcome of elections? What a waste of political power. Little wonder youths have no say in the governance structure and the dictum “youths are leaders of tomorrow” seems nonsensical in the Nigerian parlance because the past leaders are still the present leaders, with youths refusing to fight for power.

The political landscape has indeed changed in the past 3-4 years. This change has been perpetuated by the combined forces of technological determinism brought about by the deepening of the internet and its effect on online participation in political activities; the harsh economic conditions of the country that impacts negatively in a significant way on the youths, the higher civic enlightenment, and a massive appetite for change in the country. These forces are unleashing a great revolutionary spirit among the youths and opening them up to becoming interested in the political process.

The 2023 election campaign is quickly becoming a social media event where a bulk of young people have seized the narrative and are forcing their voices on all and setting the agenda for a political campaign in most instances. Although very pungent to youths’ political emancipation in Nigeria, such engagement in social media among the youths is not seen outside the social media in the real political space. However, it is generally too early to conclude how this will affect youth voter turnout and voting patterns. Many of our youths are outside social media which is dominated mostly by urban youths. How are these youths mobilised and sensitised when they are cut off from the active and vehemently visceral social media youths?

What is known is that enthusiasm has been high among the youth since the “EndSars movement” period, but political consciousness to drive change is insufficient. This may be disappointing to candidates whose electoral thematic thrust and strategy are to galvanise the youth to vote for them. The youth are still not united by consciousness but mostly by poverty and social malaise in the land . We only have a few weeks before the elections so it seems to be a tall order to turn the tide, but in politics, nothing is impossible. Only time will tell how the pendulum will swing regarding youth voting and its impact on the election.

Harnessing the enthusiasm among the youths is easier now than ever. The reason is that they are getting the brunt of the critical issues plaguing Nigeria. They feel the heat and understand now why it is essential to rescue the country from the brink of collapse. They are beginning to link their myriad of problems to poor leadership. These problems include mass unemployment, but critically massive youth unemployment is crippling many young people; national insecurity; poor quality education from primary to university with ASUU strike a common feature of university education in Nigeria; endemic corruption; and dearth of economic opportunities. These issues stop people of all ages, primarily youths, from fulfilling their potential.

Unfortunately, but true, youth issues are not on the front burner in the discourse leading to this election. Youth issues are given secondary attention or mention and do not constitute key campaign issues. The campaign has been mainly about personalities and less about issues. Youths seem to have fallen back on their default setting of political party, religious, and ethnic affiliation. After the “EndSars saga”, Nigerian youths seem to have lost the Patriotic spirit that defined them.

Because of the fallback affiliation mood, the tendency to vote en bloc is minimal or completely lost, and this is my fear that the youth demographics may mean little after all. They are incurably fragmented along different lines to the benefit of the orthodoxy, which is not about their interest. And they are not making a demand on the candidates and political parties on issues of concern to them.

A dichotomous pattern between youths in the south and those in the north, informed by varying levels of education, different levels of opportunities and civic culture, is evident. This divide has meant that although there may be a commonality of experience between youths from both divides, their modus operandi in electoral and political engagement differs. This difference also exists between youths in urban areas and rural communities. How to bridge these gaps has been a nightmare. This is more so for those championing youths’ ascendency in the political firmament of Nigeria. Most urban youth in Nigeria are using social media networks to engage in political participation. However, it is known that there is a weak or no correlation between online and offline political participation. The only way the Nigerian youth can translate their demographic advantage to tangible influence is to come out and vote, and vote in a way that will shape the kind of future they want. Youth in other countries have done it at different times. Young people must take advantage of this opportunity to reshape their country.

Voting gives youth the power to influence decisions. Youth disenchantment with governance in Nigeria will become an empty threat if a critical mass does not vote and does not express a clear preference for a secured future. Disjointed participation by Nigerian youth will dash the hopes of those who wish to see fundamental changes in the landscape.

Nigerian youth can significantly impact the outcome of the 2023 elections if they are intentional about what the future means to them. There are instances in other clime when youth influenced electoral outcomes. Perhaps the most well-known is former US President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and election , which was driven by young people. In another example, the term “youthquake” was used in the United Kingdom after young voters saw British Labour Party deny the Conservative Party an expected majority win.

Since it worked elsewhere, we hope it will work in Nigeria too. I call on all youths to roll their sleeves and get to work in this 2023 elections. Get your PVC and vote for the candidate of your choice.

January 17, 2023
#NigeriaDecides2023: INEC has no reason to disappoint – Ooni

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no reason to disappoint Nigerians in the conduct of the forthcoming general elections.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ooni said this while playing host to the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Mutiu Agboke, in his Palace, on Friday, in Ile-Ife.

While reaffirming the traditional institution’s support for INEC, the Ooni stressed that the future of over 200 million Nigerians rest heavily on the outcome of the poll.

“I wish to laud this current administration for providing the needs of INEC and I also commend the INEC for the introduction of high-powered technology to our electoral lives.

“If you ask me, INEC has no reason to disappoint Nigerians and I want to believe that, that won’t happen.

“The last election which held in Osun is enough as barometer for INEC to discover and overcome all possible hitches in its system so that we can have a perfect election.

“The rumour that the election could be postponed has caused a lot of panic in the system but I am also glad that INEC has debunked it and assured Nigerians that elections will hold as scheduled,” he stated.

Earlier, the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, who was on an advocacy visit to the palace, commended Ooni on his fatherly role.

Agboke said that all measures had been put in place to ensure a free, fair and credible general elections.

He said that gone are the days when voters would be expecting the results for days, because presently in Nigeria, where you vote is where you’ll see the results.

“People’s votes are now counting through the introduction of technology to electioneering processes and that is why INEC is building on this achievement as we go into the forthcoming general election,” Agboke said.

The Osun REC, however, lamented the refusal of some Osun residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.

“In Osun State now, we have 400,585 PVCs uncollected; these PVCs are enough to make someone a member of the National Assembly.

“One of the reasons why I am here is to solicit Your Majesty’s support and help us talk to our people to collect their PVCs.

“I have also come to assure Your Majesty that nothing will determine the winner in the forthcoming elections except from the electorate in Osun,” he said.

He maintained that the era of manipulation and result forging had gone for good.

“Our Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is the game changer for this coming election; everyone must be accredited by this machine and no one will be allowed to vote without accreditation,” Mutiu said.

January 14, 2023
FG opens up on likely cancellation of 2023 general election

The Federal Government on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the 2023 general elections will hold as planned.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the assurance in Abuja at the 17th edition of the “President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023)”

Mohammed was reacting to a widely-circulated report, credited to an INEC official, that the 2023 general elections face a serious threat of cancellation due to insecurity.

The minister said there is no cause for alarm over the fake report as all hands are on deck to ensure peaceful and credible conduct of the polls.

“The position of the Federal Government remains that the 2023 elections will be held as planned. Nothing has happened to change that position.

“We are aware that INEC is working with the security agencies to ensure that the elections are successfully held across the country.

“The security agencies have also continued to assure Nigerians that they are working tirelessly to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere,” the minister assured.

The scorecard series was launched by the Ministry of Information and Culture in October, last year to showcase the achievements of the Buhari Administration.

Since the series started, 16 Ministers had featured and presented the achievements of their ministries and the parastatal agencies under them.

The 17th edition featured the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire who also presented the strides that have been made in the country’s critical health sector.

January 10, 2023
2023: INEC disowns purported final list of candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distanced itself from a purported final list of candidates for the 2023 general elections, purpotedly released on Sunday.

The commission in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye in Abuja on Monday,, said INEC did not release any list on Sunday.

“The attention of the commission has been drawn to reports widely circulated by a section of the media today, Monday Jan. 9, that the final list of candidates was released on our website on Sunday Jan. 8.

“The commission wishes to state categorically that no new publication of the final list of candidates was released as reported. The public should therefore discountenance the story.’’

Okoye said that for the record, the final list of candidates for the 2023 general elections was published at least, 150 days before the day of election in compliance with the provision of Sec. 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“Accordingly, the final list for presidential and national assembly elections was published on Sept. 20, 2022 while that of governorship and state assembly elections was published two weeks later on Oct. 4, 2022.

“These are clearly indicated as item eight on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Elections released by the commission on Feb. 26, 2022.’’

Okoye said there could not be a final list of candidates with just 46 days to the general elections, except for names published as substitutions for candidates nominated earlier in compliance with Court Order.

“Moreover, some of the candidates that allegedly made the new “final” list are still in court and the matter is therefore, subjudice.

“Political parties, litigants and the public should be guided accordingly,’’ Okoye said.

January 10, 2023
The Afe Babalola testimonies – By Owei Lakemfa

A lot of hope has been placed on the February 25, 2023 general elections in the country. It actually seems that the country’s continued existence depends on them. Already, some foreign observers have dispatched advanced teams.

However, in the midst of all these, a 93-year-old statesman, scanning the horizon, advises that the elections be postponed by six months if the country were truly to benefit from their outcome.

Aare Afe Babalola is as big as they can come. Sixty years ago, he was called to the English Bar and is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. An educationist, 14 years ago, he established the Afe Babalola University, today, one of the best private universities in Africa.

He has been conferred with national honours and is undoubtedly, one of the richest Nigerians. But he says despite his enormous wealth, he cannot afford the bill of running in our elections.

His conclusion is that the elections, if they go ahead, would be won by the highest spender (bidder) and not the best candidates. But that is not his primary reason in calling for a brake rather than an acceleration towards the elections. His contention is that the Constitution is a fat lie suffocating the country and that Nigerians need to be rescued from its stranglehold so they can breathe better.

Hence, his advice that the Federal Government suspends the elections for six months and put a Provisional National Government in place charged with producing a new constitution that would tackle insecurity, economic, political and other primary challenges of the country.

He laments that enough tears and blood have been shed without government coming to the rescue of the populace and that this year appears to be the best opportunity for the country to change direction.

Babalola posits: “The new constitution shall provide for part-time legislators and not full-time and the attendant wasting of resources, who will be collecting allowances and not salaries. Proposes federal system of government rather than presidential system and a parliamentary system with a unicameral legislature”.

The lucid lawyer added: “I insist that unless a new Constitution is established, similar to the good old Constitutions of 1960 and 1963, with the necessary amendments, none of the contenders, and indeed, no angel can save the country from total collapse.”

I am happy we have elders like him speaking to us. Many in his position would simply fold their hands and watch the country slide. I think it is worthy discussing his ideas, and other ideas for that matter even if we do not necessarily agree with them.

First, his idea of postponing the elections would be unpopular because people are fed up with the Buhari entanglement and want to be free. To many, an interim government would be like extending the lifespan of this administration. Secondly, how do you constitute such a government without giving advantage to the out-going government and its cronies many of who may soon become political orphans of an inglorious era?

The formation of such interim government may simply go the way some of the primaries went; hijacked by the rich for the wealthy. Thirdly, it is not the amount of time allotted but the efficiency; a determined government can within a dozen weeks, firmly begin to rewrite the recent narratives of the country.

Aare Babalola’s main headache is that the elections may go to the highest spender. This is likely to be so because the stakes are high. Politics has been reduced to financial investment in which investors are waiting for high returns, and, impunity struts the landscape like a conquering giant. A man or group who ‘invests’ a trillion or more Naira in elections intends to loot in multiple trillions; a proverb says a hunter who sets a trap with a goat does not intend to catch a rabbit; his intention is something far bigger than a goat.

I think the primary reason why the contest for executive positions like the presidency is a gruelling, fratricidal war is because the country is a unitary system where the centre has a stranglehold on the constituents. Were the country a federation with federating units down the line exercising their rights, the centre would not be so attractive. If you are President in Nigeria, you are everything except God.

There are 68 items on the Exclusive legislative list from which states are barred. These include ports, metrology, aviation, finger printing and criminal records, political parties, insurance, monuments, copyright, state creation and so-called federal trunk roads. Despite these, the National Assembly is empowered to load more on any matter it “has power”.

For me, except monetary and foreign policy (excluding trade) there is no other item, including defence, that cannot be on the concurrent list. That was the wise decision of the Aburi Agreement.

It is this unitary, stifling, exploitative and indolence-inducing Constitution Aare Babalola wants us to replace. As a man of ideas, he does not only suggest, but also gives concrete proposals such as the replacement of the current unworkable Constitution with a revised version of the 1960 Independence and 1963 Republican constitutions.

One of the highlights of these constitutions are their emphasis on federalism with the existence of regions. For instance, if the six-eight geo-political structure is accepted, then each region can have the number of states and local governments it can afford.

The Aare also has loads of other suggestions like cutting costs by making parliament part-time. But that is not the primary problem: the issue is that the parliament has been reduced to a money sharing centre with parliamentarians padding budgets and awarding themselves contracts in the name of constituency projects.

He suggests a unicameral system; of course, for equity, seriousness and true democracy, we have no business with two chambers of the National Assembly. For me, the House of Representatives is a mere duplication of the Senate. Unlike the Senate which is based on three Senators per state, the House, apart from being a waste of resources, also has constituencies arbitrarily created with no sense of equity.

Aare Babalola also thinks we should go parliamentary. He might have good reasons for this; however, our challenge is not whether our democracy is presidential or parliamentary, it is about evolving a democratic system based on our needs and culture.

The problem with Afe’s suggestions are not so much their flaws, but the fact that he is uploading so much on an indolent political class that cannot think or refuses to think. When I read some reactions to his suggestions, it is like somebody declaring that: “Afe Babalola is talking nonsense”. When you ask: “What did he say?” and the reply is: “I don’t know. I have not had time to read his nonsense.”

January 10, 2023