2023 general election
Kogi PDP writes National Peace committee over alleged threats of violence in Kogi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has written a letter of complaint/ notice to the National Peace committee headed by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) as chairman and Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, as secretary over what it described as threats to peace and security by the Kogi State government ahead of 2023.
The letter which was signed by the State chairman of the party, Engr Samuel Uhuotu indicated that as the electioneering activities are now gathering momentum nationwide, they want to draw the attention of the national peace committee to the activities of the Government of Kogi State led by the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello in recent times which has become more vicious
According to Uhuotu, “The Governor of Kogi State, his political appointees and loyalists have been brandishing the use of force and violence against political opponents in the State at different times and fora.
“Particularly, the Governor had on the 4th of September, 2022 at a gathering at Government Technical College Oboroke, Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State threatened to lead team of thugs with firepower to kill and maim those who oppose him and his party in the forthcoming election, particularly the National Assembly election.
‘It is no longer news that the Governor owing to his unprecedented poor leadership style has become unpopular among the people hence his resort to threat of use of force and violence against the same people he took oath to serve and protect.
“The Governor at the event invented a pseudo name for gun which he called “ira chenyi” to replace “Ta-Ta-Ta” of 2019 which literarily mean “firepower” or “vicious fire” in Ebira Language, a development that attracted wide condemnation from the good people of Ebiraland, Kogi State and nationwide when the horrifying incidence went viral on print and social media.
“The Governor then quickly issued a statement to say that he was quoted out of context and that he was rather refereeing to criminals in Kogi State.
“In an attempt to intimidate and scuttle the will of the people of Kogi State in the upcoming elections particularly the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District who have become wary of his poor leadership style, the Governor has been moving from one place to another in Kogi State with his appointees and rented crowd brandishing the threat of “ira chenyi” on those who will dare stand against his party candidates in the election. “He has been doing all of these under the guise of threatening criminals in the state.
“It is worthy of note that as part of the plan of the Governor to cause breach of peace in Okene, he has through the Chairman of Okene Local Government Area by a letter dated the 26th day of October,2022 given the Peoples Democratic Party a One (1) week ultimatum to vacate its campaign office in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State for the flimsiest excuse that the PDP Party Secretariat pose a security threat to some infrastructures in Okene to wit: the Council Secretariat and the Okene Central Mosque.
“These reasons are mere machinations and attempt to destabilise the political activities of the PDP in the area.”
Uhuoto alleged the Governor and his political appointees is planning to surreptitiously plant incriminating materials at the premises of the PDP Party Secretariats as well as that of the premises of its members in Kogi Central Senatorial District all to portray the party and its members in bad light and put them on the wrong side of the law.
“The series of events leading to this complaint is rather unfortunate to say the least particularly that the same Governor who took oath of allegiance to the people and the law is now the one championing and sowing seeds of discord in the land.
“We accordingly call on you sir as a highly respected and senior citizen and leader of Nigeria who have sacrificed his personal and family comfort for the peace and development of Nigeria to as always take urgent steps to forestall the grave consequences of the acts of the Governor of Kogi State.
“With greatest sense of urgency, we crave the intervention of the
Peace Committee on this issue giving the antecedents of Gov. Yahaya Bello in Kogi State and Okene in particular.
“We have attached to this letter for your kind perusal sir the several videos of the Governor in different places and times in Kogi State threatening the use of force and violence against his political opponents in the State.
“We have also attached a copy of the letter of ultimatum issued by the Chairman of Okene Local Government Council to the PDP to vacate its Party Secretariat in Okene, Kogi State.
Your Excellency Sir, kindly accept the assurances of our esteem regards.”
2023 general election
2023 polls: Abdulsalami Peace Committee opens up on pressure to ask for cancellation
The National Peace Committee (NPC) has opened up on pressure it faced to intervene in the 2023 Presidential Election results. During a report presentation in Abuja, led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the committee disclosed that it received numerous requests to push the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt results collation or cancel the election due to alleged violations of the electoral act.
Key issues included concerns about the 25% vote threshold requirement for the Federal Capital Territory, with some advocates calling for a runoff.
The NPC emphasized its role as a moral authority rather than a regulatory body, highlighting its mandate to promote peace and compliance with the law, without the power to arrest or punish violators.
The committee acknowledged a gap in public understanding of its functions and the importance of moral persuasion in fostering electoral integrity and peace.
Before presenting the report to the public, the committee had earlier met with the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other management staff of the commission where it was briefed on the electoral umpire’s preparation for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.
Other members of the committee are Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe (Vice Chairman); Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (Convener); Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; business icons, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola; Vanguard Newspapers Publisher, Sam Amuka Pemu; Ameze Guobadia; Idayat Hassan; Dame Priscilla Kuye; Gen. Martin Luther Agwai; Mahmud Yayale Ahmed; Channels TV owner, John Momoh; Roseline Ukeje; and, Fr. Atta Barkindo, its Head of Secretariat.
Part of the report reads; “As the election day progressed, criticisms and counter criticisms became abundant. The NPC was already being faced with a flurry of phone calls and the need to call INEC to order.
“The Peace Committee was flooded with requests for intervention. Both the Chairman of the Committee, General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, the Convener, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and the Head of NPC Secretariat, Fr. Atta Barkindo, were inundated with calls, requests, and petitions demanding the intervention of the NPC.
“Some of the requests wanted the NPC to prevail on INEC to stop collating election results because there were gross violations and lack of compliance with the electoral act. Others demanded that the tenets of the Peace Accord signed were not adhered to and therefore the Committee should call for cancellation of the election entirely.
“The most significant call was related to the 25% threshold for Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory. Some of the analysts who reached out to the committee asked that the final election result should not be announced because the resumptive president-elect did not score the required 25% as stated in the electoral act. If anything, there should be a runoff.
2023 general election
EU reports: LP says FG is feebly adopting face saving measures
***EU only hit the nail on the head
The leadership of the Labour Party has countered the Federal Government of Nigeria for discrediting the European Union’s conclusion on the 2023 General Election wherein it faulted the modalities by which the conclusion was reached.
It reiterated what it believed as the accurate testament of the European Union’s conclusion on the 2023 general elections which merely hit the nail on the head.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh said,
“Eropean Union’s Conclusion on the 2023 general elections are nit Jaundiced but accurate Testament of the outcome of the FG and INEC alliance to change the will of the electorate.”
“We see this face-saving measure by the Federal Government which is coming days after the submission of the report as feeble and medicine after death.
“It will interest the government to note that the European Union’s report is only one out of numerous submissions by other international Observers who have described the outcome of the election as a sham and an exercise that did not reflect the will of the majority of Nigerians.
“Labour Party stands by the position of the EU observation mission. We have always said that this election was massively rigged in favour of the APC and their candidate.
“What the FG is saying is just an afterthought and a shameless effort to mask the obvious. Even the blind can see, the deaf can hear and they know this election was manipulated.
“Huge pieces of evidence abound for even the deaf and the blind to hear and feel. We are only hoping that the judiciary will dispense justice without fear or favour in the interest of the nation and posterity.
“Nigerians already know the true winner of the 2023 presidential election and no amount of slandering, denial, or rebuttal can change the fact that the party in power has no mandate of the electorate.
“We must also note that whatever position the INEC has taken is with active connivance with the Federal Government to deny the electorate and it clearly shows that INEC is not in any way independent.
“The Commission’s action is at the whims and caprices of the government and we know it. But Nigerians looking to the Judiciary for justice. That’s where we stand.”
2023 general election
FG tackles EU over report on 2023 general elections
The Federal Government has countered the European Union’s report on the 2023 general elections, describing the conclusions therein as “jaundiced”.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy gave the indication in a statement on Sunday.
“We urge the EU and other foreign interests to be objective in all their assessments of the internal affairs of our country and allow Nigeria to breathe,”
According to him, the February 25, 2023 presidential election was “clearly and fairly” won by Tinubu, the then candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).
He also advised that the EU allow Nigeria to breathe and not meddle in the affairs of the country.
“We find it preposterous and unconscionable that in this day and age, any foreign organisation of whatever hue can continue to insist on its own yardstick and assessment as the only way to determine the credibility and transparency of our elections,” he said.
He said the presidency was not unaware of the “machinations of the European Union to sustain its, largely, unfounded bias and claims on the election outcomes”.
Alake further stated that there is no substantial evidence provided by the EU or any foreign and local organisation that is viable enough to impeach the integrity of the 2023 election outcomes.
“We would like to know and even ask EU, how it reached the conclusions in the submitted final report with the very limited coverage of the elections by their observers who, without doubt, relied more on rumours, hearsay, cocktails of prejudiced and uninformed social media commentaries and opposition talking heads,” he stated.
“We have many reasons to believe the jaundiced report, based on the views of fewer than 50 observers, was to merely sustain the same premature denunciatory stance contained in EU’s preliminary report released in March.
“We strongly reject, in its entirety, any notion and idea from any organisation, group and individual remotely suggesting that the 2023 election was fraudulent.”
The media aide said Nigeria has put the elections behind, and Tinubu is facing the task of nation-building.
“As a country, we have put the elections behind us. President Tinubu is facing the arduous task of nation-building, while those who have reasons to challenge the process continue to do so through the courts.”
On June 27, 2023, the EU presented its report on the 2023 elections in Nigeria to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The EU said the election exposed enduring systemic weaknesses and therefore signaled a need for further legal and operational reforms to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and accountability.
The EU also identified six areas for improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process moving forward.
Some of the key areas listed by the Mission are ambiguities in the law, the establishment of a publicly accountable process for the selection of the INEC members, ensuring real-time publication of results as well as access to election results.
It also highlighted the need for protection for media practitioners while decrying the discrimination against women in elective and appointed positions as well as impunity regarding electoral offences.
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