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Anambra Guber: CSOs urges NASS to hasten harmonisation of Electoral Act Amendment Bill
Coalition of Civil Societies have called on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill Conference Committee to as a matter of urgency harmonise the positions of bill to enable President Muhammadu Buhari append his signature before the November 6 Anambra governorship elections.
Recall that the Senate had on Tuesday empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to decide on electronic transmission of election results following pressure from the public.
Addressing Journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Executive Director, Adopt a Good for Development Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye explain that Nigerians yearn for credible and transparent elections of which electronic transmission of results provides.
Ariyo-Dare who expressed assurance that President Buhari will accent to the bill, advised that future elections beginning from Anambra State in November be electronically transmitted.
In his words “This is a new beginning, however we want to tell the fourteen wise men and women to expidite actions to ensure that this bill is harmonised in the next couple of days, transmitted to Mr President and signed before the November 6 Anambra governorship elections.
“We want the transmission of results that would be done by INEC on their dedicated website legally valid. The moment the president signs and give accent to this bill, we are hopeful that he will do so and this bill will become a legal document for the federal republic of Nigeria.
“The president has told INEC that he will do everything to make them succeed. Everything that will make INEC to succeed is inclusive of a legal framework and the Electoral Act is the number one document in that regard.
“We want to say bad elections are the bedrock of bad governance, good elections will definitely trigger good democracy and good govenance. Our leaders must understand that impunity will not serve anybody any good.
“The only way that we can have a win win situation for both the winner and the looser is to have credible electoral process which will ensure that those who lose will know that they are gracious in defeat and the winners will be humble in victory that is the essence of democracy and that is why we have been yearning for us to have election that reflects the yearnings of Nigerians.
“I believe that members of international communities and our friends within and without will start to applaud Nigeria that this is a good beginning for us in terms of having elections that is credible, transparent, free and fair”.
Speaking on the issue of direct primaries clause adopted by the senate in the proposed Electoral Amendment Bill, the CSOs spokesperson urged the National Assembly to allow political parties practice whichever mode of primaries (direct or indirect primaries) they deem fit.
He said “On the issue of primaries, we are of the opinion that it is important that we allow democracy to prevail.
“If a party have been practicing indirect mode of primaries since 1999, it’s going to be difficult for them to yield to what the National Assembly has done. Ordinarily we would have urged the National Assembly to allow the two mode of primaries to remain simply because it gives options to the political parties.
“However we have a serious concern, our concern is that direct primaries so far in Nigeria have not been well conducted. A case in point is Anambra state where the candidate of a party scored over 200,000 votes and there was hardly any primary in that state.This is not to say even the indirect primaries are well conducted, there were also a lot of problems that was witnessed.
“I think the National Assembly should have concern itself about how to strengthen the mode of primaries that are available and probably seek the input of stakeholders on how to strengthen both the direct and indirect primaries.
“Like we have heard from some of the parties, they have not had what we call the infrastructure to be able to handle direct primaries across the country or within some states but if this is going to be so, we will like to call on these parties to put in place measures that will ensure transperancy and accountability in whatever mode of primaries they are practicing”, he added.
Ariyo maintained that the if the National Assembly will not revert its decisions since the vote has already been done then political parties should have a digital register.
“To maintain a digital register,financial records of members must be put into consideration, if you are not a due paying member, you cannot vote, you must have your register and you must have your number.
“The party membership card must have a well structured arrangement in such a way that not just anybody can be called on the election day or when elections is approaching to come and join PDP, APC or any other party for them to become a member” he noted.
Also, GlobalPresident,ReadytoLeadAfrica, Godbless Otubure commended the Nigerian Senate for listening to the wills and desires of the masses to adopt electronic transmission of poll results.
Otubure expressed assurance that President Buhari will sign the bill stating that this is one of the things that would be recorded for him as an achievement.
“We are encouraged by the fact that what we started almost three years now is beginning to bear fruit that finally Nigeria will have an Electoral Act that is people oriented, that is a deviation from all we’ve always known, that we can now say when we vote, we can be rest assured that our vote will count.
“Today, the coalition of Civil Society Organisations are gathered here to say a big congratulations to the Senate. We are congratulating them because they listened to Nigerians and changed course.
“Elections result will no longer be rising like garri in this country. If you vote and at the end of collation you saw five hundred, what it means is that before the results leave your polling unit to anywhere they want to do that collation, INEC would have received that result. So don’t worry, by 2023 and any other time we have elections in this country, come out and vote because that is what we are going to be seeing.
“We are calling on the conference committee not to go to sleep. This is October. We will be grateful and will give all of you presents and gifts and call you heros by the end of October when the conference committee finish harmonizing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill so that before November, It has gotten to the office of Mr President”.
By Sunday James
The gruesome killing of 16 innocent northern hunters in Uromi, Edo State, over false accusations of kidnapping is yet another damning indictment of the failure of law and order in Nigeria.
Time and again, innocent lives have been lost to the mindless brutality of mob justice, a savage and inexcusable act that has become far too common across the country.
This is not an isolated incident. Nigeria has witnessed several tragic cases of jungle justice where angry mobs, fueled by misinformation and misplaced aggression, have taken the law into their own hands.
The Aluu Four incident in 2012, where four young university students in Rivers State were falsely accused of robbery, beaten, and burned to death in a horrific public spectacle, remains one of the most chilling examples.
In 2022, Deborah Samuel, a young student in Sokoto State, was lynched by fellow students over alleged blasphemy, an incident that sparked outrage but yielded little justice. In Lagos, several suspected petty thieves were set ablaze by mobs in broad daylight without any fair trial.
Across the country, from Anambra to Kano, Port Harcourt to Abuja, numerous cases of public executions by mobs continue to surface, often with little to no legal consequences for perpetrators.
The rise of mob justice is fueled by a cocktail of systemic failures that have left Nigerians disillusioned with formal justice mechanisms.
The breakdown of law and order, where the Nigerian police fail to deliver swift and transparent justice, has led to public distrust, encouraging citizens to take matters into their own hands. Rising insecurity, including the surge in kidnappings, banditry, and violent crimes, has left many communities in perpetual fear, triggering knee-jerk reactions to perceived threats. Ethnic and religious tensions have also played a major role, with deep-seated biases making certain groups more vulnerable to targeted attacks.
The proliferation of unregulated local vigilante groups and security outfits has further emboldened extrajudicial actions against innocent civilians. Additionally, the slow pace of criminal trials and the failure to punish perpetrators of jungle justice have normalized impunity.The Edo killings, like many before them, must not be swept under the rug.
The government must ensure immediate arrest, prosecution, and conviction of all those involved in this heinous act. Strengthening law enforcement agencies to curb vigilante excesses and restore public trust is paramount.
There must be massive public enlightenment campaigns to educate citizens on legal redress rather than mob action. Strict penalties must be enforced against communities and groups involved in jungle justice to deter future occurrences.The Nigerian government must wake up to its responsibility of protecting lives and ensuring justice for all.
If mob justice continues unchecked, no one is truly safe. This latest atrocity in Edo should be the final warning: justice delayed is justice denied. The killers must be held accountable, and a nationwide crackdown on jungle justice must begin immediately. Enough is enough. The rule of law must prevail.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has congratulated the Muslim Ummah across the country on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr.
The celebration marks the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan.
In a message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Ganduje rejoiced with Muslims for the spiritual renewal and discipline attained during the sacred month of fasting, prayer and devotion to Almighty Allah.
He urged the faithful to uphold the virtues of piety, selflessness, and compassion that Ramadan represents while also extending love and kindness to one another, especially to the less privileged in society.
The APC National Chairman further called on Muslims and all citizens to remain steadfast in promoting unity, peace, and national progress in the country.
He emphasized that the lessons of Ramadan—patience, sacrifice, and perseverance—are essential in fostering harmony and strengthening the nation’s democratic institutions.
The two-term Kano State Governor also urged the Muslim Ummah and Nigerians to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed in his efforts to lift the country from economic doldrums and resolve lingering security challenges.
He assured Nigerians of the APC-led government’s commitment to improving the welfare and well-being of all citizens, noting that Nigerians will not regret voting for President Tinubu after his first tenure.
News
Abia: LG Chairman, Iheke accused of using soldiers to detain IRS agent, claims Governor Otti’s support
The Chairman of Aba North Local Government Council, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke has been accused of excesses and high-handedness in revenue collection at the popular Ariaria International Market.
In a statement issued on Monday by Ariaria Stakeholders Forum and signed by its Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Chukwudi and Secretary, Chief Boniface Kalu on Sunday, the Forum lamented the excesses of the Local Government where he used the soldiers to detain the Managing Director of Star Nkey Ventures, Mr Benedict Elias who is a law abiding citizen.
The statement made available to CAPITAL POST pointed out that Mr Elias was duely appointed as agent to Abia Stat3 Board of Internal Revenue Service (ABIRS), hence, he wasn’t carrying out illegality.
The LG however claimed to have the backing of Governor Alex Otti, but further findings revealed that the Governor would never support illegality to the extent that a law abiding citizen was arrested and detained.
A source told CAPITAL POST in Umuahia that Governor Otti believes in the rule of law and will not support any intimidation whatsoever.
Partof the statement read: “The attention of Ariaria Stakeholders Forum (ASF) have been formally drawn to the unlawful and improper action taken by the Local Government Chairman of Aba North Local Government, Mr Timothy Kalu Iheke who used soldiers to illegally arrest and detain the Managing Director of Star Nkey Ventures Nig, Mr Benedict Elias, a duely appointed Revenue Agent of Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), regarding the revenue collection at Ariaria International Market, Aba, Abia State.
“The Local Government Chairman of Aba North, Mr Timothy Iheke had attempted to unlawfully assume control over the revenue collection operations at the Ariaria Market, which is under the jurisdiction and authority of the Abia State Government wherein the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) is saddled with the responsibility of revenue collection in the said market.
“The Local Government Chairman has no legal authority to interfere with or take control of the revenue collection process that falls under the remit of the State Government market.
“However, despite this, the LG Chairman Mr Iheke had unlawfully and wrongfully used soldiers who before now have been banned by the appreciate authorities from engaging in such illicit activities to unlawfully arrest without any warrant of arrest and illegally detain Mr. Benedict Elias without any detention order at Central Police Station (CPS) Umuahia for two days over false and baseless allegations.
“Mr Benedict Elias the Managing Director of Star Nkey Ventures Nig. a duly appointed and authorized Revenue Agent of the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service was falsely accused of impersonation and of being a fake revenue agent, charges that are entirely unfounded and baseless.
“We would like to emphasize that Mr. Benedict Elias was legally and duely appointed on 13 September 2024 to 31 January 2025 by the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, and was fully authorized to carry out revenue collection and enforcement duties at the Ariaria market which he stopped collection of any revenue at the expiration of the said contract with the state government.
“His appointment letter and identification as a state revenue agent, were in full compliance with the law and can be verified by the relevant authorities.
“The actions taken by the Local Government Chairman Mr Iheke and his unauthorized use of soldiers to arrest a legitimate state revenue agent are highly concerning and represent an overstep of authority.
“This interference not only disrupts the lawful revenue collection process but also undermines the authority of the State Executive Governor, Dr Alex Chioma Otti on which Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service is working for.
“The Board Chairman of BIRS had on many occasions warned Mr Timothy iheke to desist from harassing a Mr Benedict Elias and his team who are bonafide Abia State revenue agent in Ariaria market which is state owned but Iheke blatantly refused but rather threatened to deal with the Board Chairman for telling him to desist from working against the interest of the state government.
“As Stakeholders of Ariaria International Market which most of our members have been doing business in the market for over 40 years, we know Mr. Benedict Elias and he has never been involved in any form of illegality or any questionable acts. He is a man of integrity and uprightness.
“We respectfully request that an immediate investigation be initiated into the actions of the Local Government Chairman, Mr Timothy Iheke, and the use of soldiers in this unlawful arrest. Additionally, we ask that Mr. Benedict’s name be cleared and any wrongful actions against him be rectified.
“The relevant authorities at the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service should be consulted to verify Mr. Benedict’s legitimate position and the legal framework governing revenue collection at the Ariaria market.
“We trust that a thorough investigation will be conducted and appropriate action taken to ensure that the Aba North Chairman, Mr Timothy Iheke is brought to book to account for the use of soldiers on an unarmed and law-abiding civilian Mr Benedict Elias.”
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