Obama, ECOWAS seek peaceful polls in Nigeria

United States President, Barack Obama

United States President Barack Obama and the the Economic Community of West African States have stressed that only fair and transparent elections will guarantee   a true democratic process in Nigeria.

Obama made his comment via a video posted on Monday on the White House official website while the ECOWAS Chairman and Ghananian President, John Mahama, spoke in Abuja.

The US President, who also called for the safe rescue of the more than 200 kidnapped Chibok girls by Boko Haram, reminded Nigerians that “successful elections and democratic progress” would help Nigeria meet the challenges it currently faces.

He therefore urged Nigerians to peacefully express their views on election days and “reject the voices of those who call for violence.”

According to him, the elections presented to Nigerians,   the opportunity   to unite   in saying no to violence and extremism and instead show their support for a more peaceful, secure and prosperous future.

“I call on all Nigerians to peacefully express your views and to reject the voices of those who call for violence. And when elections are free and fair, it is the responsibility of all citizens to help keep the peace, no matter who wins,” Obama added.

The US President   made it clear in the message that it was the duty of all voters to safeguard the democratic process by performing their civic responsibility peacefully.

He said, “Today, I want to speak directly to you—the people of Nigeria. Successful elections and democratic progress will help Nigeria meet the urgent challenges you face today.

“Boko Haram—a brutal terrorist group that kills innocent men, women and children—must be stopped. Hundreds of kidnapped children deserve to be returned to their families.

“Nigerians who have been forced to flee deserve to return to their homes. Boko Haram wants to destroy Nigeria and all that you have worked to build. By casting your ballot, you can help secure your nation’s progress.”

He also urged all Nigerians to put their ethnic and religious backgrounds behind   ahead of the polls, saying that the task ahead   required unity.

“I’m told that there is a saying in your country: ‘to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.’ Today, I urge all Nigerians—from all religions, all ethnic groups, and all regions—to come together and keep Nigeria one. And in this task of advancing the security, prosperity, and human rights of all Nigerians, you will continue to have a friend and partner in the USA,” he added. The US President also had a message to Nigerian leaders, especially the two leading candidates – President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party and Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress: They must   caution their supporters   against violence during and after the March 28 polls.

“I call on all leaders and candidates to make it clear to their supporters that violence has no place in democratic elections—and that they will not incite, support or engage in any kind of violence—before, during, or after the votes are counted,” he advised.

In Abuja, Mahama and   the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Desire-Kadre Ouedraogo   met seperately with Jonathan and the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

The ECOWAS chairman told journalists after the meetings   that they stressed to the two candidates they need for free and fair elections in Nigeria.

Mahama, who also heads   ECOWAS electoral observer mission to Nigeria said that the sub-regional body had been actively involved in ensuring peaceful and transparent elections in the five countries   going through elections in West Africa this year.

He said the observer mission had been monitoring the electoral process in the lead up to the elections not just before the polls but from a longer period.

Mahama added, “We have received several monitoring reports and we are working together with the electoral commissions of the countries and the authorities of those countries.

“We have tried to ensure that obstacles to free and fair elections are removed to ensure that elections are free and fair. People would accept the results of those elections.

“As chair of the authorities of Heads of State of ECOWAS, I have extended my solidarity to the Nigerian people through my brother President Jonathan, to see that the whole of ECOWAS, not only ECOWAS, but the international community is in solidarity with Nigeria to have a very transparent election so that the democratic process in Nigeria will be better entrenched.

“This is a critical election for Nigeria and it will be one more indication for the world that Nigeria is a democratic country and is ruled by tenets of good governance and rule of law. And so, we want to wish you all the best.”

He disclosed that the delegation would also meet with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission to look at the state of preparedness for the elections.

He expressed the belief that the postponement had given the electoral body more time to be able to meet all its processes and be in readiness to ensure that voters were not disenfranchised and that the results of the elections were accepted.

The Ghanaian President also expressed the belief that there would be no post-election violence after the release of the results.

“We expect that there will be no post-election violence and that all the parties involved in the elections would accept the results   in good faith when INEC has announced the results of the elections.

“As you know, Nigeria is a very important member of ECOWAS. The largest economy, the largest nation in the ECOWAS region and so Nigeria’s safety and security is the safety of and security of the whole of ECOWAS region and so I stand on behalf of all the Presidents of ECOWAS and wish that all Nigerians will come out and express their votes and their votes would count towards electing who becomes the next leader of this country.”

Mahama also told journalists after meeting with Buhari that the international community was interested in the outcome of the elections because of the strategic position Nigeria occupies on the African continent.

He said, “I arrived here this(Monday) morning as the ECOWAS chairman at the behest of all the Heads of a States of ECOWAS to pay a solidarity visit to Nigeria to express our solidarity with the people of Nigeria in the elections you are going to hold on   March 28.

“The whole of West Africa and indeed, the whole of the international community is watching your country because these elections are going to be another step at consolidating and enhancing democracy in Nigeria.

“I began this(Monday) morning with a meeting with President Jonathan and we discussed all issues concerning the intending election and I had firm assurances that everything is set to go and that on the Match 28   election will come up.

“We expect the elections to be free, fair and transparent and ECOWAS is going to do everything possible to work with the political stakeholders and INEC to make sure that the   process is credible and acceptable to the people of Nigeria.

“ I feel assured that all the political leaders are ready for a peaceful, free and fair election.

“Of course, there are a few issues that he(Buhari) has brought up which I will refer appropriately to our monitoring group and I hope that the discussions that will take place in the next few days will address some the issues that have been raised.”

Mahama said he received assurances from both Jonathan and the INEC Chairman,   Attahiru Jega, that all was now set for the elections to go ahead on March 28 as scheduled.

Police make a U-turn, say voters can ‘protect’ votes

Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba

The Nigeria Police Force on Monday made a U-turn on its earlier warning to voters to stay away from polling centres after exercising their civic duty on days of elections.

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, had on Thursday said there was no need for   voters to stay back after casting their votes because   two or three policemen would be stationed at every polling unit to guard their votes.

   “Cast your votes and go and cool down. If you remain there, there is a likelihood that you will commit an offence,’’ he had   said.

But the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and others faulted the warning, saying there was no aspect of   the electoral law that prohibited voters from stay behind to monitor   ballot counting.

“As many of the voters may wish to remain to see the actual counting of the votes after voting has ended,” Jega had stated.

However, the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said that people could stay behind as long as they maintained the peace, and obeyed the electoral guidelines.

“Anybody who commits any offence against the Electoral Act would be dealt with in line with the law. Voters are free to stay behind if they chose to,” Ojukwu stated.

Emenike faces ban for walking off pitch

Emmanuel Emenike

Fenerbahçe forward Emmanuel Emenike faces disciplinary action in the Turkish league following his indecent reaction in the derby against Beşiktaş at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium on Sunday.

The Nigeria international tore off his shirt in anger and ran off the pitch, demanding to be substituted in the first half, after his fans booed him for missing a ‘simple’ chance to put the hosts ahead.

It took the intervention of Fenerbahçe manager Ismail Kartal and his technical staff to stop Emenike from walking down the tunnel. Kartal eventually managed to convince him to put his shirt back on and return to the game.

A former referee in Turkey Ahmet Çakar said Emenike deserved punishment for leaving the pitch and re-entering without permission. He said it was a technical error not to have booked the player, and that the action could mean a replay of the derby.

“These incidents are not even open to interpretation, they are all bookable offences, the first thing they teach amateur referees are the rules of the game,” Turkish Football quoted Çakar as saying on Beyaz Tv.

“This was not a refereeing error, it was a technical error and that could result in the match being replayed.”

The 28-year-old has only scored four league goals for The Yellow Canaries this season, but Kartal revealed he prayed for the Nigerian to score and break his poor run of form in the derby.

“I prayed for Emenike to score and win over the fans again,” Kartal told Lig Tv. “The fans need to be more patient and understanding, he cannot change around his fortunes with everyone getting on his back.”

Fenerbahçe eventually won the game courtesy of a 90th minute goal from Mousa Sow, but not before Kartal had substituted Emenike at the start of the second half.

The manager also gave Emenike a two-day leave to be spent in Nigeria during the international break.

Vote out Jonathan, Buhari tells Imo people

Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd)

The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) has urged Imo people to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party at state and national levels.

He said this at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Monday, during a campaign tour.

Buhari said that the people should vote for the APC because the PDP has failed the people 16 years in power.

“They did not provide jobs or security. The economy has drastically gone down. We cannot be alive and see our dear country die a natural death,” Buhari noted.

Buhari, in a brief speech, charged the people to get their Permanent Voter Cards in order to exercise their right in the presidential and legislative elections holding next Saturday.

In his speech, the Governor of the state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, described Buhari as a man that has zero tolerance for corruption, adding that Buhari would industrialise Nigeria if elected into power.

“As his name means in Igbo language, Buhari will ‘Bugharia’ Nigeria for the better.”

He said that the election will be won by the APC at all levels, adding that the votes of the masses will count just as he accused the PDP of planning to rig the elections.

One of the highpoints of the rally was the presentation of a certificate of endorsement to Buhari by the Association of Nigerians in Ireland and defection of several PDP members to APC.

Election 2015: Dubious Confab report approval

 Secretary to the Government the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim

AMID the froth and fury of a cut-throat election campaign, the Federal Executive Council last Wednesday approved “the immediate implementation of the 2014 National Conference report.” In what seems like a last-ditch gambit to gain electoral mileage as Nigeria goes to the polls on Saturday, the bizarre order, coming just days to the presidential ballot, should be taken with a pinch of salt.

In all probability, the announcement by Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on behalf of the cabinet, is a cheap political stunt and a blatant attempt to deceive the electorate. Anyim said the recommendations and resolutions that require constitution amendment and enactment of new laws would be forwarded to the National Assembly for promulgation into law, while policy matters in the report would be referred to the affected agencies and the tiers of government concerned for action. As was expected, politicians have gone to town with it, making outlandish promises, including the creation of new states. But turning the strategic issue of restructuring to an object of a knee-jerk reaction to a seeming plummeting political fortune is a disservice to the country.

There is nothing altruistic or patriotic about FEC’s feckless authoritative approval of a document that holds so much hope for the country’s socio-economic transformation, but has been sacrificed on the altar of personal political ambition. This is another outrageous example of a political joke taken too far. The FEC statement lacks power to convince those who had been canvassing the implementation of the report since it was submitted in August 2014.

Instead, the President consigned the report to the archives. What, for instance, does it cost the President to trim his bloated cabinet, as recommended by the conference, when he had the opportunity to do so after some ministers resigned last October, and especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues? The President swore in another set of eight ministers last week to fill the vacancies left behind by those who resigned to contest elections.

On several occasions between the inauguration of the conference and the end of last year, Jonathan’s headline-grabbing statements had offered a ray of hope to Nigerians. Promising the conferees that their work would not be a waste, Jonathan had assured when the 22-volume report, containing over 600 draft proposals, was submitted that “it is a new dawn in Nigeria and a new nation is at the door.”

And shortly after this, the President had set up another committee to study the report, articulate the recommendations made and develop the strategies for the implementation. The committee was also meant to advise the government on how to effectively implement the report. Similarly, in his broadcast to mark the 2014 Independence Day on October 1, the President reaffirmed that he would keep his promise. “Every promise I make, God willing, I will see to its fulfilment. I assure you, we shall implement the report,” he had said.

But apart from the soundbites and fury, Jonathan seems not to be in a hurry to act on the report and has never built a reputation for implementing any report. There were the unimplemented reports of the Presidential Advisory Council headed by Theophilus Danjuma, which recommended the reduction of the cost of governance; the Presidential Committee on Review of the Reform Processes in the Nigerian Public Service; the Public Awareness on Security and Civic Responsibilities; the Stephen Oronsaye Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies; and the Justice Alfa Belgore Committee on Constitution Review, which also proposed the devolution of power to the states, scrapping of the office of the First Lady and autonomy for local governments. There were also four different committees set up to probe the fuel subsidy scandal without the government making any tangible use of their reports.

One of the signs that we are a long way off from the implementation was the failure to transmit the report to the National Assembly, which was also considering some amendments to the 1999 Constitution at that time. The Deputy Leader, House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, said during this period that there was no such report before the parliament. Things should have been handled differently if sincerity was in adequate supply.

The failure to do so might haunt the country for a long time. Today, Nigeria is further from being a proper nation than at any other time in its history. Since the advent of civil government 16 years ago, we have altogether missed our national goals in critical areas of development. Because of our failure to restructure, the component states that depend mainly on oil revenues are finding it hard to meet their financial and security obligations.

Even countries that have had a long history of being unitary entities are evolving novel ways of devolving power to their constituent units and cities for rapid economic development. In the United Kingdom, which is an example of a unitary state, the central government has ceded some powers to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales following constitutional changes in 1997 and 1998.

No doubt, our federalism is dysfunctional. The Punch editorial stance strongly supports the restructuring of the skewed political system. When the conference was inaugurated on March 17, 2014, we had warned, “We must not allow cynics’ narrative of failure to become an excuse for despair. Despite obvious constraints such as the deep suspicion of the motives of President Goodluck Jonathan, the controversial pattern of delegate selection and ambiguity over its legal status, the conference has a good chance of being the take-off point for the long overdue restructuring of this tottering political edifice.”

We will continue to stand resolutely for true federalism as the only political arrangement for the country. But it is all evident that Jonathan has failed badly to translate a credible and painstakingly worked out report to a constitutional reform. He has missed the golden opportunity to write his name in gold. Nigerians should reject the uncanny bait and cheap electioneering gimmicks.

Electricity: Thank you President Jonathan, but…

President Goodluck Jonathan

I want to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for slashing electricity tariff by 50 per cent. It again shows he is a listening President.

Recently, I had added my voice to those of other Nigerians through an SOS to President Jonathan published in this newspaper on the astronomical bills being issued from the electricity distribution companies otherwise known as discos to consumers. Even the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria added its own voice to the matter.

President Jonathan acted swiftly, much to the relief of long suffering Nigerians, to direct the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to reduce the tariff.

But it seems the discos are slashing the bills grudgingly. What the Federal Government intended with the slashing of the electricity bills is that there is a genuine reduction in tariff, not window dressing as it seems the discos are doing.

As I stated in that letter, those who are on prepaid who use air-conditioning systems, and even pump water for commercial purpose pay on average N4000 a month.

Instead of the discos to reduce my “normal” bill by half, it “reduced” my “craziest bill” by half! It was N18,000. Now it is N9000. Half of our minimum wage!

Those I spoke with said even with the reduction, the bills are still unreasonable and that they will not pay for what they did not consume. Already it was reported that consumers in the Papa Ajao area of Mushin in Lagos protested against the high bills and illicit activities of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mushin Business Unit, and this was barely 24 hours after the reduction was announced.

Perhaps, the discos wanted to increase the tariff to a “certain level” without knowing how to do it. So, they thought of raising it way up above their intended tariff, knowing Nigerians will cry out for a reduction. Perhaps, what they call “reduced” is actually where they wanted to “raise” the bill to! But that will not work.

There are still so many problems with the electricity distribution companies. Up till now, the N10,000 bill I paid to the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company’s Abule Egba Business Unit in December, has still not reflected. All I hear is, “They are working on it.” Many people are complaining of the same thing.

All the same, Thank you, again, Mr President, for your kind gesture. But the discos must reduce the bills further. Not based on crazy estimates, but by a fair amount as compared with what those who own prepaid meter are paying, pending when prepaid meters will be given to all consumers.

As a suggestion, electricity bills as estimated for those who do not have prepaid meters should be reduced to no more than N1500 for residents, at worst N2000, depending on the residence. That, with improved power supply, will win the hearts and minds of Nigerian electricity consumers who have long lost faith in the system.

When you go to shop, are you told to pick what you want and pay what you can pay? But the electricity distribution companies tell you to “pay what you can pay.” There is no transparency with them, and they have lost their credibility.

Instead of addressing this, the electricity companies are kicking against the reduction in tariff. In an election year, it is left to be seen who are more powerful between the electorate and the capitalists!

My candid advice to the discos is for them to be “foolish” for once and see how it turns out for them. Perhaps, they should engage the consultants who thought out cheap airfares.

Business is about turnovers. They will not make money by over-labouring the few people who are paying, what they call “passing the bulk to “paying” consumers for losses incurred from “non-paying” consumers.” They are losing more money that way. But they will make more money if the bills are so low, that it is not only easy for all to pay, but also cool to pay.

Who said all the discos have to have one tariff? Each company can be given the autonomy to woo its customers with its own tariff as obtains with the telecoms. They can also give their customers freebies if they pay regularly.

Finally, infrastructure needs to be upgraded so that electricity generated really reaches Nigerians. We should also make power generation from coal real. We should protect our gas pipes better and possibly plead with gas pipeline vandals to desist from destroying them, even if it means “negotiating” with them, to giving them “amnesty.”

Dr Odoemena is a medical practitioner based in Lagos, Terafema.blogspot.com, Twitter: @cuzdetriumph

Six Rivers commissioners may defect to PDP

 Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi

THERE appears to be palpable fear in the camp of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State as speculations were rife on Monday that six commissioners in Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s cabinet were set to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party on or before Friday.

Amaechi’s deputy, Mr. Tele Ikuru, had defected to the PDP on Sunday with a promise that his supporters would soon join him in his new party.

Though five commissioners were seen to be Amaechi’s die-hard supporters, other commissioners could be well out of the APC and were only waiting for the right time.

A source in the Government House, Port Harcourt, told our correspondent that he could only vouch for commissioners in charge of Information, Agriculture, Works and two other ministries, adding that those who stood for pecuniary gains could defect to the PDP.

“Yes, the deputy governor has defected and you will agree with me that he (Ikuru) has supporters who will definitely want to go with him. We are suspecting them already and very soon, they will show themselves.

“But one thing is clear, the Amaechi they are betraying has always stood by them. Amaechi does not betray anybody and anything he tells you today, check in the next 20 years, he will still maintain his stand,” the source said.

Also a House of Assembly source told our correspondent that he could no longer vouch for all the state legislators because some of them now believed in stomach infrastructure.

He insisted that some members of the House who believed in integrity would continue to stay with the governor.

Though, the Assembly source did not mention any member likely to defect to the PDP, he said it would be unnecessary to assume that the 25 APC lawmakers were still intact.

“The PDP may have infiltrated them within the past 12 months and you must know that those who would leave by this time believe in stomach infrastructure while those with integrity will continue to stay with Amaechi,” the source said.

Speaking through his aide, the State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Victor Giadom, said that he was committed to the belief of Amaechi and had never thought of defecting to another political party.

Giadom, who is also the Director-General of the Dakuku Peterside Campaign Organisation, described the claim that some commissioners would defect to the PDP as mere propaganda, adding that no commissioner would leave the APC for another party.

The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Mr. Felix Obuah, predicted that Amaechi would be left with only five commissioners after a possible mass defection of his aides to the PDP.

“Amaechi has only five commissioners and more than two-thirds of the members of the state House of Assembly have joined PDP. They are already talking with me. Today, we are celebrating one of our own (Ikuru) and his teeming supporters who have seen reasons in what we are fighting for,” he said.