Politics

INEC, police identify flashpoints ahead of Ondo poll

Published

6 months ago

June 4, 2024

Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, met behind closed doors with security agencies in the state, under the auspices of the Inter-Agencies Consultative Committee on Election Security.

Before going into the meeting, Yakubu said there was a need to plan ahead to ensure a successful poll.

Yakubu said there was no foreseeable threat ahead but “all the flashpoints have been identified, including the types of threats across the 18 local government areas.”

No fewer than 16 political parties are participating in the governorship election,according to INEC.

The Monday security meeting, held at INEC headquarters in Akure, had in attendance the state Commissioner of Police, the state Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the representatives of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, among others.

In his remarks before the commencement of the meeting, Yakubu stated that the purpose of the meeting was to plan a hitch-free preparation for the election.

“We came to observe the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration in Ondo State and second is to monitor the preparation for the election.

“We can’t succeed in delivering electoral activities and the elections unless the electoral environment is secured for us.

“This is going to be the third governorship election conducted by the present commission in Ondo State. I was here in 2016 for the same purpose; I was here in 2020 for the governorship election and, by God’s grace, we’ll be here again in November 2024 for yet another governorship election.

“I want to assure registered voters in Ondo State that they should continue to troop out in their numbers to register and collect their PVCs from the current registration, but we also have literally over 200,000 uncollected PVCs from the last exercise,” he said.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the INEC chairman said the preparation for the election was reviewed while some areas of challenges were identified to be handled by the security agencies.

“This is an essential routine meeting we had with the Commissioner of Police and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Ondo State to review our preparation for the forthcoming governorship election.

“So, we reviewed the challenges generally. There are areas with issues that are known; there is nothing extraordinary requiring some extraordinary action, but we recognise the need for us to continue to be vigilant when working with the security agencies.

“All the flashpoints have been identified, including the types of threats across the 18 local government areas, and we have shared the information with the security agencies who will do the needful,” he stated.

Yakubu appealed to political leaders in the state as well as the people to continue to keep the peace, saying, “We have had no major adverse reports as we prepare for the elections. We are confident that it will remain the same into the election and beyond,” he said.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Abayomi Oladipupo, disclosed that the deployment of security personnel for the November poll had already been done by the Force Headquarters but he declined to mention the number of the personnel deployed.

He added that there was a strong synergy among the security agencies in the state, hence, the assurance of a smooth process.

“Election security is not new to us as an agency of government charged with internal security operations. We are fully prepared in conjunction with our sister security agencies, which you have seen around.

“At the moment, we have deployed personnel for the Continuous Voter Registration, which is ongoing, and that is the reason we appreciate the coming of the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to interface with us, to know our challenges and the level of our preparation,” he said.

Politics

Obi Urges Nigerian Graduates to Seek Opportunities Overseas if Needed, Vows to Fix Nigeria for Their Return

Published

4 days ago

November 12, 2024

Naijablitznews

Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, has encouraged Nigerian students to seek better opportunities abroad if local conditions don’t meet their needs.

Obi shared this advice during his visit to Anambra State, where he made donations to Peter University in Achina/Onneh and the College of Nursing Sciences in Adazi-Nnukwu. Addressing nursing students, he reaffirmed his commitment to supporting institutions that nurture skills, professionalism, and character.

Obi advised students that, if career opportunities are limited locally, they should feel free to explore options abroad.

“If things aren’t working here, go where they will work for you,” he said, expressing optimism that, with efforts to improve the country, Nigerians working abroad would eventually return.

Speaking at Peter University, Obi urged students to dedicate themselves to their studies, highlighting education as a transformative force essential for national development.

Emphasizing that investment in education is an investment in the future, he encouraged them to aim for excellence, assuring that a stronger Nigeria would await them.

Politics

Parliamentary system better option for Nigeria -Aregbesola

Published

5 days ago

November 11, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah.

Former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for Nigeria to dump the presidential system of government and return to the parliamentary system.

Aregbesola made this revelation at a National Dialogue on Home-Grown Parliamentary System in Abuja on Monday.

The immediate past Minister of Interior, who said he is opposed to the executive system of government currently practiced in Nigeria, insisted that the arrangement in the parliamentary system is best suited for a country like Nigeria.

“If you go on believing that an individual, no matter how beautiful, no matter how good, could have the capacity to govern 120 million people all alone without checks, we are joking. So, by that consideration alone, I am opposed to executive system of government.

“I believe the collective arrangement which the parliamentary system guarantees is best for a nation like Nigeria if indeed we are committed to advancing the interest of the large population and mass of our people,” Aregbesola said.

In February this year, a group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives brought a bill seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution to transit from the current presidential system to the parliamentary system of government.

According to the group made up of about 60 lawmakers, the transition has become necessary to reduce the cost of government in the face of dwindling revenue.

Titled, ‘The Bills Proposing Constitutional Alterations For a Transition To Parliamentary System of Government,’ the bill was sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and 59 others.

The bill was read on the floor of the House during plenary session in Abuja on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

In a statement, a Spokesman for the Parliamentary Bill Sponsors, Abdussamad Dasuki said, “Today, we stand on the cusp of history, as lawmakers across party affiliations and regional backgrounds come together to present bills proposing Constitutional Alterations that seek a transition to Parliamentary System of Government.

He added that over the years, the imperfections of the Presidential System of Government have become glaring to all, despite several alterations to the constitution to address the shortcomings of a system that has denied the nation the opportunity of attaining its full potentials.

Politics

2027: Kwankwaso’s visit to Otti sparks possible alliance

Published

6 days ago

November 11, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State at the weekend played host to the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Nvosi country home in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area(LGA).

Speaker of the House of Assembly Emmanuel Emeruwa, some aides of the governor, and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement were present.

Although Kwankwaso said he was in the state to condole with Otti on the passing of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the first governor of old Abia State, rumours of a possible political alliance between him and Otti, the only Labour Party(LP) governor in the country, spread.

Onu was buried in Uburu, his hometown in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State on Friday.

Kwankwaso’s visit coincided with a reception held by the governor for 15 Abia indigenes who recently graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano.

Shortly after he departed the state, political analysts said they were sure that the visit was partly informed by efforts of the Peter Obi-led LP faction to align with other opposition parties ahead of 2027.

‘’Don’t forget that 2027 is near. Do you think the two men would meet like they did now with talking about the next presidential election? That is impossible,’’ one of them told The Nation.

Another said Kwankwaso and Otti were ‘’very much aware that the only way to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progress Congress (APC) from the centre is a formidable alliance.

‘’They know that now is the best time to start talking about how to defeat those in Aso Rock. And that, I believe is the core reason for the visit.”

Last month’s local government poll in the state produced a stunning result with candidates loyal to Otti winning nearly all the chairmanship positions on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP)

The governor backed the winners because of court cases on the authentic leadership of the leadership of the LP.

One faction of the party is led by Julius Abure while the other supported by Obi and Otti is headed by Nenadi Usman, a former Finance minister.

Political analysts argued that if Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Obi, and Kwankwaso fail to put their political differences behind and field an acceptable presidential candidate in 2027, they might end up not making a significant impact.

Otti had while welcoming Kwankwaso recalled how he offered him a ‘’platform in May 2022 to run ’’ as a governorship candidate.

He thanked Kwankwaso for his guidance and patriotism.

His words: “Thank you for your guidance, for your patriotism, for everything that you have done for this country.

“I want to thank you for encouraging me in 2022 not to lose faith, though we were in different parties, and it appeared as if everything was going to be lost.

“That call that you made about the 20th of May 2022, for also making your platform available for me to run if I had wanted to use the platform, the rest is now history.”

Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, congratulated Otti on his emergence as governor. He also lauded his achievements in the state

“For the little time I have been here, I have had the opportunity of talking to a few people who confirmed to me that you are doing very well. We have seen your project everywhere” he said.

The governor and his visitor urged the new Police officers to work hard, contribute to the security of the country, and be good ambassadors of the state.

“The challenge is for you to now work very hard, knowing fully well that in this society, the son of a nobody can be the father of somebody,” said Otti.

“If people like us who grew up here without any hope at that time can be here, there is no reason why you can’t get here. But I am challenging you to be the best you can be.

“Always do things right and do the right things. You can always get to where you are headed. Cutting corners does not take you too far, “ the governor added.

Kwankwaso charged the new police officers to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

“Let me take this opportunity, based on my experience, to advise you to first and foremost fear God.

“Two, you need to be professionals. Now you are fresh, just coming out of the prestigious institute.stay there as professionals,” he said.