I cannot be intimidated by the PDP — Tinubu

A national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Saturday said no amount of intimidation would stop him from criticising the Peoples Democratic Party. Tinubu also called on the Federal Government to release the ACN governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State that was arrested following the recent crisis between the party and the PDP in the state. No fewer than 20 persons died and property worth millions of Naira, were destroyed during the fracas. However, addressing ACN supporters in Ilorin where the party presented its presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and his deputy, Fola Adeola, on Saturday, Tinubu said his party was committed to the enthronement of true democracy. He said, “I want to tell you that I am not scared by the intimidation of the ruling PDP government over my commitment to good governance and this would not stop me from ensuring that the PDP is not winning in the next elections in the country. “Nobody can intimidate me because Almighty Allah is my protection and guidance and I will continue to work for the sustenance of good leadership in Nigeria.” He noted that in the past 12 years of the PDP rule in the country, nothing was working as unemployment remained at the highest level, power supply was dwindling and education and health care delivery were in bad situation. He noted that the change that would come would not be through violence but through the ballot paper so as to ensure the socio economic development of the nation. The ex-governor maintained that it was disheartening that members of the PDP sent their children to Overseas for education, whereas the children of the less privileged were suffering. He stressed that the people of the country should come out in their large numbers during the elections without minding the alleged plan to employ police, soldiers and other security agencies to intimidate them. Tinubu advised his supporters not to sell their voter cards, adding it would spell doom for the country. Tinubu attended the rally in company with the national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos state; Kwara state governorship candidate of the party, Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN). In his short speech, the presidential candidate of the ACN, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, tasked the people of the country and Kwara in particular to ensure the victory of the party in the elections by voting for all its candidates to all political offices. By Emmanuel Addeh Courtesy Of: Punch

National Assembly poll: Candidates gear up for final showdown

Strong indications have emerged that the National Assembly election billed for Saturday, April 2, will be hotly contested across the country. Already, in states like Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Plateau, Niger, and Rivers, report by our correspondents show that the top contenders are squaring up for a final showdown. The poll is the first in the series of the long awaited general election scheduled to hold between April 2 and 16. The election promises to be exciting, especially as the National Assembly has become a nectar to young and old politicians in the country. The election also has grass roots bent, as many Nigerians are expected to participate in electing their leaders. The electorate will be filing out to elect 109 senators, as well as 360 members of the House of Representatives. Anambra In Anambra State, the fever is catching fast as the countdown to the April elections draws near. Three parties — the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party — are the major parties battling for the soul of the state. The Accord Party, invaded recently by two serving senators and two members of the House of Representatives has also shown a promise of swinging votes. The parties parade an array of candidates that will cow any one any day. In Anambra Central, where the battle appears to be the fiercest, former Governor, Chris Ngige of the ACN, is pitched against former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili of the APGA, the incumbent senator, Annie Okonkwo and the PDP candidate, Chief Ogugua Okoye. The next zone where the contest will be stiff is Anambra South, where another former governor, Dr. Andy Uba of the PDP will be slugging it out with the incumbent senator, Ikechukwu Obiorah of the Accord Party, Chuma Nzeribe of APGA, Chris Atuegwu of ACN and Prof. Nonso Mojekwu of the Congress for Progressive Change. Anambra North, it appears, would be an easy race for Senator Joy Emodi of APGA. But she has to contend with the opposition from Mr. John Emeka of the PDP, Mrs. Jessie Balonwu of ACN, Chief Dennis Odife of Labour Party and Dr. Mike Areh of Accord Party. Osun In Osun State, all eyes will be on the former governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Prof. Sola Adeyeye. On paper, Oyinlola should win the Osun-Central senatorial election against Action Congress of Nigeria candidate, Adeyeye. But the ambition of the Okuku prince to clinch the ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party is under severe threat. Adeyeye, a professor of molecular biology, is vying on the platform of a presumed stronger party in the state — ACN. Adeyeye, a former House of Representatives member, is noted for uprightness, hard work and an intimidating list of achievements. Adeyeye’s party, ACN, controls Osogbo and Olorunda communities, which possess 40 per cent of the votes in Osun-Central. Oyinlola, who is from Odo-Otin, is also being challenged by his former Commissioner for Agric, Chief Kunle Alao. Campaigning on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party, it is believed that Alao is likely to split the votes in the district among supporters of the PDP. The defection of a former member of the House of Assembly, Mr Niran Ibitoye, an Ifaji prince with mass appeal at the grass roots to the ACN is likely to affect the fortunes of Oyinlola. Plateau From Plateau State, all eyes will be on Plateau South senatorial zone as two Langtang generals, John Shagaya and Jerry Useni, set to battle over who occupies the seat in the upper chambers in the next four years. While Shagaya is contesting on the PDP platform, Useni is the Democratic Peoples Party standard-bearer. Useni was a transport minister and minister of the Federal Capital Territory, while Shagaya once commanded the ECOMOG in Liberia. Another hot contest will be between former Governor Joshua Dariye and younger brother of a former head of state, Dauda Gowon. Dariye is the Labour Party candidate, while Gowon is vying under the PDP on an election that has been described as a walkover for the former governor whose towering image still looms large, not only in the central zone but in the entire state. Oyo In Oyo State, the current Chairman, Senate Committee on Industry, Mr. Kamoru Adedibu of the PDP is in the race to get the nod of the people of Oyo South to return to the senate. Adedibu, a son of the late controversial Ibadan politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, will be slugging it out with Chief Olufemi Lanlehin of the ACN. Lanlehin, a lawyer and former member of the House of Representatives was at different times a commissioner and special adviser in the cabinet of the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Mr. Bayo Lawal will also be contesting the same seat from the Accord Party. In Oyo Central, Chief Jumoke Akinjide is seeking to replace the Senate Leader, Mr. Teslim Folarin. A lawyer and former aide of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, the daughter of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide, is contesting on the PDP platform. She will be contesting against the candidate of the ACN, Mr. Ayo Adeseun. Adeseun was until recently a member of the PDP and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation. Chief Bisi Ilaka of the AP is also in the race for the zone. In Oyo North, Mr. Hosea Agboola, is seeking to replace Adedibu’s son-in-law, Senator Gbenga Babalola in the Senate on the platform of the PDP. Agboola is the current Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in Oyo State. Dr. Wale Okediran of the ACN is also contesting the seat. A former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Festus Adegoke, is also seeking to return to the House to represent Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency. But this time, he has abandoned the PDP for the Labour Party on which platform he will be re-contesting. Rivers In Rivers West, Senator Wilson Ake, who is the incumbent will slug it out with his counterpart in the ACN, Chief Shadrack Akaloku. With Ake’s experience in the Senate and the extent which he took his campaign, it will be difficult for Akaloku to unseat him. Though Akaloku was a member of the Niger Delta Development Commission representing Rivers State between 2000 and 2005 and a special assistant to former governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili, such pedigree may not be enough to beat Ake. For Rivers East, the race is between the incumbent Senator George Sekibo of the PDP and Chief Lasbery Amadi of ACN. Amadi was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003 and Special Assistant to Odili on Infrastructure from 2003 to 2007. Both are very strong in the race. The race for Rivers South East will be fierce due to the way both politicians, Mr. Magnus Abe of the PDP and Dr. Nomate Kpea of the ACN have penetrated the people of the senatorial district. But Abe, who is the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, appears to be more on the ground than his opponent. Having dismissed the incumbent senator, Lee Maeba, in the primary election, his strength in his senatorial district is not in doubt. Enugu Recent events in Enugu North zone have indicated that the elections would not be an easy win. The zone is believed to have the highest number of voting population in the state. INEC recently said it was fine-tuning plan to deploy a sizeable number of security personnel to the area. The senatorial candidates in the zone are the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Mr. Ayogu Eze, of the PDP; Mr. Silk Ugwuogbu, APGA; Victor Amoha, People for Democratic Change; and Maj. Gen. Joseph Okoloagu (retd.) Ogun In Ogun State, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, contesting on the PDP platform for the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, has the ACN candidate, Mr. Olusegun Williams, as his closest contender. Bankole may have a smooth sail in getting re-elected for the third time as the ACN candidate may not pose a serious threat. The rival PPN has not presented any candidate to slug it out with Bankole. In Ogun Central, the contest is between Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the ACN candidate, Mr. Gbenga Obadara. Obadara was a former governorship aspirant in the state. The refusal of the daughter of the Late MKO Abiola, Mrs. Lola Edewor, to move to the PPN with the Daniel’s faction brightened Iyabo’s chances in the zone. For the National Assembly election, in the Obafemi Owode, Odeda, Abeokuta North Federal Constituency, it is going to be a keen contest among Olumide Osoba, son of the former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba of ACN and the son of late the MKO Abiola, Lekan Abiola of the CPC, the former chairman of Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, Mr. Babatunde Adesina of the PPN and the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Kayode Amusan of the PDP. Lagos There are indications that the battle would not be easy in Lagos State where the ACN currently holds sway. Adeola Olamilekan, who is contesting the House of Representatives in Alimosho Federal Constituency on the ACN banner is having a fight of his life with the PDP candidate, Segun Adewale. While Olamilekan, who is presently representing Alimosho at the Lagos State House of Assembly intensifies efforts to secure the people’s mandate, it was clear that his arch rival would not give in easily. By EMMANUEL OBE , TUNDE ODESOLA, JUDE OWUAMANAM, FRANCIS FALOLA, CHUKWUDI AKASIKE, OLALEKAN ADETAYO, and OZIOMA UBABUKOH Courtesy Of: Punch

Abuja PDP rally: Zoning is alive, kicking — Obasanjo

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo said on Saturday that zoning was alive and kicking in the Peoples Democratic Party. He allayed fears that the PDP had jettisoned zoning and other forms of rotational methods of selecting its candidates for specific purposes. Obasanjo spoke at the grand finale of the PDP presidential campaign held at the Eagle Sqaure in Abuja. The former president spoke as President Goodluck Jonathan again vowed to contain the incidence of terrorism and violence as well as check their masterminds in the country. “Federal character, zoning and other forms of rotation are alive and kicking in our party,” Obasanjo said to the audience that comprised party faithful and international election observers. Zoning has remained a knotty issue in the polity since the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua. While some politicians like former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, canvassed that a northerner should replace Yar’Adua as the PDP standard-bearer for the forthcoming presidential election, many others opposed the idea. The former president said zoning, Federal Character and other forms of rotation of public offices would remain for a long time to come. “I see the Federal Character and zoning and the rotation of position in the PDP existing beyond my life time,” he said. The former president and chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, said zoning would remain well after Jonathan’s tenure in office. “I don’t know who will be president after Goodluck Jonathan, but I can guess from which section of the country the successor will come from,” he said. The former president said zoning could only be abandoned when unity, stability and trust had been established among the different sections of the country. He said it was only then that “performance and track records will be dominant in selecting people for various offices.” Obasanjo said the recent resort to sectionalism and ethnic sentiments was not only unpatriotic but also uncalled for. “It can ignite uncontrollable passions and impact on the sacrifices that others have made in shedding their blood and going to prison,” he said. Obasanjo urged political leaders to desist from taking the nation on “a perishable journey” because there was more that bound the country together than those that separated it. Obasanjo said last Sunday he was mandated as chairman of PDP BoT to dialogue with former president Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Mohammed and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on the controversy that ensued over zoning of the presidency in the party. He said the impression was that PDP had jettisoned zoning and cancelled all forms or rotation. “I’m an apostle of Federal Character. I can’t preach anything else. An unexpected situtation must be understood for what it was. We are the only party that enshrines Federal Character in our constitution through zoning,” Obasanjo said. Obasanjo appealed to political leaders to put the country first. “Our duties and our responsibilities must go side by side with our demands. “On two occasions, I have had opportunities and worked for my successors. I never brought ethnic or religious considerations. I took the route of national unity and the road to stability. I worked for Shehu Shagari and Umaru Yar Adua to succeed me, not because they were Hausa/Fulani, but because they could strengthen Nigeria’s unity. A leader must lead, no matter whose ox is gored,” he said. Obasanjo said all Nigerians were joined together by a common identity. Obasanjo said the PDP had set out to achieve that national dream because the manifesto of the party was clear about it. He said Jonathan’s decision to run for only one term was a sacrifice that must be commended. “It’s statesmanship, we should applaud it and commend him. Nigeria should reward him and venerate him. Let us encourage him to take more good steps by voting for him as the fourth elected president for the purpose of achieving our common identity and Nigerian dream,” he said. Meanwhile, Jonathan, who warned that time was up for “senior” members of the society who were behind terrorism, noted, however, that the act was a global trend that was not limited to Nigeria. The President said the protection of lives and property was the first responsibility of government. Noting that no responsible government would joke with security in the name of politics, Jonathan said cases of politically motivated violence would not be isolated from other acts of terrorism and criminality. As a result, he warned that politicians and others perpetrating electoral violence would face the full wrath of the law. “I want to appeal to our political leaders and Nigerians in general to eschew violence. “I call on our youths to not let themselves be used by people who have sent their children abroad or locked up their children in mansions and ask you to go and main and kill people because any responsible government will not play with security even in the name of politics. “Politics does not mean that you have to carry knives and cut people, politics does not mean that you will have to carry fire and burn houses and property; politics does mean that you are going to beat up people, we totally reject it and the security agencies are going to deal with any situation as it deserves. “There will be no sanctuary for criminals in Nigeria, and if you get involved, be ready to face the law,” Jonathan said. The President also cast doubts on the capacity of his opponent in the presidential election to take the country to the Promise Land. Assessing the recommendations they have proffered as solutions to the country’s challenges, Jonathan noted that they had nothing to offer. He said, “Our opponents have done a very good job of reminding the populace of the challenges that are still facing the country but many of the solutions they proffered are hopelessly inadequate. “Some of them seem they want to turn back the hands of the clock and take us back to methods that have failed repeatedly because they have not really assimilated investors demand and the new global focus on good governance.” He went ahead to reaffirm his determination to fight corruption, create jobs and address infrastructural challenges, among other intentions. In a related development, the city of Abuja and its environs witnessed an unprecedented number of security men and women following the event. The sign that the security operatives would not leave anything to chance emerged on Friday evening when all roads leading to Eagle Square, venue of the rally were cordoned off. Stern-looking security officers took over the roads and directed motorists to take other routes. This caught some workers unawares as there was no prior announcement to the effect that roads, especially those from Wuse to the NNPC headquarters, and others around the Federal Secretariat would be sealed off. By Saturday morning, even roads that were hitherto left un-sealed, had been taken over by security agents. This affected movements of thousands of people who came for the event, including those going to work. By Olamilekan Lartey, Shola Fabiyi and Ihuoma Chiedozie Courtesy Of: Punch

Electoral Act: Bankole, Mark got it wrong on rerun — Sagay, Falana

Eminent lawyers among them, Prof. Itsay Sagay (SAN), and Mr. Femi Falana, have differed with the Senate President David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, over the power of a court to declare a candidate winner of an election. Sagay and Falana on Friday said that Mark and Bankole’s pronouncement that a court could not declare a candidate winner of an election was not only misleading, but unconstitutional. The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at different events had said that the new Electoral Act did not allow a court to declare a candidate a winner of an election. According to them, what the court can do is to order a rerun. The Action Congress of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party had traded words on the section in a news report by THE PUNCH. While the PDP lauded the new Act, the ACN said it might challenge the said provision in court. While the PDP members in the National Assembly explained the provision of Electoral Act on rerun elections, opposition lawmakers said the legislature must not interfere in judicial affairs. Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act states, “Where an Election Tribunal or Court nullified an election on the grounds that the person who obtained the highest votes at the election was not qualified to contest the election, the election tribunal or court shall not declare the person with second highest votes elected, but shall order a fresh election.” This is a new clause introduced by the National Assembly.” But Section 140 (3) of the Act reads, “If the Tribunal or the Court determines that a candidate who was returned as elected was not validly elected on the ground that he did not score the majority of valid votes cast at the election, the Election Tribunal or the Court, as the case may be, shall declare as elected the candidate who scored the highest number of valid votes cast at the election and satisfied the requirements of the Constitution and this Act.” Faulting Mark and Bankole, Sagay, said on Friday that the provisions of the constitution were very clear on what the courts can do. “You cannot go for re-election where clearly there is a winner. Sections 134 and 179 of the Constitution are very clear,” he said. Sagay stressed that the sections emphasised that the courts have to declare the person with the majority of votes or the highest number of votes as the winner. He said the attempts of the PDP to keep on amending the law to get immunity for their electoral fraud would not work. “It’s a demonstration of their villainy and criminality and I use these words deliberately. They want to tie the hands of the Court of Appeal from declaring who scores the highest. It has failed in this case,” he said. Sagay added that the aim of the proponents of the idea was to get the court to order a rerun election in which they would have the chance to rig. “The loophole which they cannot block however with the amendment is the Constitution. There is a constitutional provision which allows the court to declare the winner of the election in spite of Electoral Act because the Constitution is superior,” he said. Also, Falana in a statement faulted the Senate President and the Speaker, saying they misled the nation when they said no court could declare a candidate a winner of an election. He said, “it is crystal clear that the powers of a tribunal or court to declare as elected the candidate who scored the highest number of valid votes cast at an election has not been removed. Therefore, Messrs David Mark and Dimeji Bankole ought to withdraw their misguided statement and apologise to Nigerians without any delay.” But the Deputy Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), a PDP legislator, said Section 140 (2) was not smuggled into the 2010 Electoral Act. Ndoma-Egba, in an interview with one of our correspondents, explained that when the bill came up for consideration, people were more concerned about the issue of who should be member of the National Executive Committee of political parties. The clause which sought to include federal lawmakers in their parties’ NEC, was rejected by the National Assembly following a public outcry against the provision. Insisting that Section 140 was debated, the Senate Majority Leader said the clause followed the due process of law-making, adding that it went through the second reading where every detail was considered. “At that time, people did not consider this aspect as important. They focused on other controversial areas. No bill can be passed without the clause-by-clause consideration and that is what happened,” Ndoma-Egba added. Defending the section, he argued that it was the electorate that should determine who won an election instead of the courts. He said it was becoming a dangerous trend as the courts appeared to have taken over the responsibility of the voters in deciding who should govern them. “We believe that this should not be the case, because the electorate should be allowed to decide the winner of elections. That power should not be taken away from them by the courts,” the Deputy Leader of the Senate said. A member of the PDP and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr. Ita Enang, defended the inclusion of Section 140 (2), saying it would give all candidates a level-playing field for the re-run election. Enang claimed that experiences had shown that some contestants were not prepared for the elections, but merely wanted to be listed as contestants. “So, while their opponents worked so hard to win, their interest was to allege that there were irregularities and to seek the disqualification of the winner. “That is not fair; we have said that the way out is for all of them to go to the poll again and test their popularity,” Enang added. Also, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, a member of the PDP from Cross River State, said the section was meant to correct the unfairness of disenfranchising a large section of voters in an election. He said in a telephone conversation that hitherto judgements of courts faulting the credibility of elections and at the same time proceeding to declare a particular candidate as winner had implications of ensuring that only a section of voters would determine the emergence of a winner in an election. According to Ewa-Henshaw, the new law is meant to ensure that every vote is counted and made to determine the actual outcome of the elections. On whether the legislature was not overreaching its powers, he argued, “It is the business of the courts to interpret the law and not to make laws, whereas it is the responsibility of the legislature to make laws.” He disagreed with the notion that the clause was forced on the other parties by the majority of PDP members, saying it was openly debated. But, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olorunibe Mamora, told our correspondents in Abuja that the PDP lawmakers used their majority number to “insist on what they wanted.” By John Ameh, Olamilekan Lartey and Josiah Oluwole Courtesy Of : Punch

April poll: Jega redeploys electoral officers

Barely six days to the National Assembly poll, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has shuffled electoral officers across the country. Leaders of most of the 63 registered political parties had at a meeting with the INEC Chairman on Wednesday, complained about the activities of some of the electoral officers. They had alleged that some of them had been compromised by state governors and incumbent local government chairmen who were acting on behalf of some governors. Jega had asked for proof, even as he promised that he would redeploy some electoral officers in a manner that would not be disruptive. It was gathered that the redeployment was sequel to complaints lodged by a majority of the party leaders. Confirming the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said, “Yes some will receive their letters over the weekend.” He gave no further details. At Wednesday’s meeting, the National Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Dan Nwayanwu and the Chairman of African Liberation Party, Emmanuel Okereke, expressed fears about the credibility of some INEC officials. They specifically, alleged that some state Resident Electoral Commissioners and members of their staff, especially electoral officers had remained in their post for close to 10 years. This, they argued, had made some of them cannon fodder in the hands of governors to the disadvantage of opposition parties. Jega had in response explained that it would be difficult to move RECs around in a manner that would not be disruptive, adding however that if they had proof against any REC he was ready to do what was necessary. Giving a hint that he was prepared to shuffle other categories of workers, he said, “We will carry out the necessary redeployment of staff before the election but we will also ensure that it is not disruptive.” Jega also assured the party leaders that issues that bordered on security implications were being handled by security operatives. He said, “It will be too much a risk for someone to impersonate as a security agent.” By John Alechenu Courtesy Of: Punch

ACN alleges plot to impose emergency rule in Ekiti

The Action Congress of Nigeria in Ekiti State has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state is orchestrating violence in order to ensure that emergency rule is imposed in the state. ACN chairman, Mr. Jide Awe, told our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti on Friday that the PDP was bent on using its do-or-die approach to recapture the state. But he said the alleged plan would fail because the people of the state would resist it. Awe alleged that the PDP chieftains had been stockpiling arms and ammunition for the April poll, saying security agencies should closely watch them because they were a “menace to the state.” He said, “They are perpetrating violence in the state in order to give a false impression of insecurity and after unleashing terror on the people, they would quickly blame it on the Action Congress of Nigeria. The mission is to heat up the state so that emergency rule can be declared but all this will surely fail.” He said the PDP attacked the ACN in Aramoko and almost killed the deputy speaker while many others were injured by the PDP thugs. He said the PDP was desperate to return to power but could not do so because it did not please the people of the state while in office. Another chieftain of the ACN, Mr. Babafemi Ojudu, added that the people of Ekiti should not allow the PDP hoodlums to draw them to violence. But the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, said in a telephone interview that the ACN was the aggressors in all the attacks. “Chief Jide Awe is economical with the truth. I used to respect him so much but he has suddenly changed since his party got to office. “The ACN has killed and wounded so many of our people and destroyed their property. “We brought the corpse of our member who was killed to the Governor’s Office on Wednesday. Let them show to the world any of them who has been injured or their property destroyed.” Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association, Ado-Ekiti branch, has decried the rising insecurity in the state, saying security agencies must not be biased in the discharge of their duties. The Chairman of the NBA, Mr. Owoseeni Ajayi, at a press conference on the spate of killings in the state, urged politicians to be tolerant as the elections drew near. Ajayi said, “We are fed up with the waste of human lives. Wasting of human lives by policemen and thugs must stop.” He said the April poll would be a mirage if police colluded with thugs to kill people. “We will take every necessary legal step to ensure that those who perpetrated the killings are brought to book,” he said. By Femi Makinde Courtesy Of: Punch

April poll: Political parties worry over workers’ threat

As the ‘no wage, no vote’ ultimatum given to the Federal Government by the Nigeria Labour Congress expires on Monday, political parties in the country are worried that the April elections would not be considered credible if workers refuse to vote. The leadership of the NLC, last Wednesday, gave the FG till Monday to sign into law the National Minimum Wage Act or face the wrath of Nigerian workers. The congress also summoned a meeting of the Central Working Committee of the union for Monday to take a final decision on the matter. NLC president, Abdulwaheed Omar, said that the mandate given to the leadership of the union at the last delegates conference was to ensure that the Minimum Wage Act was signed before the April general elections. Omar said, “The issue of national minimum wage is no longer new in Nigeria. It is a struggle that we commenced way back in 2008 and, so far, we have cleared many hurdles. In my position as president, on behalf of my colleagues, I want to tell you that we are about to clear the last huddle. “Recently, we were told stories about the signing of the new National Minimum Wage Act by the president. This was made known to Nigerians by a government official and it was immediately debunked by the minister of labour. “While the controversy raged, we were reliably informed that the bill has actually been forwarded to the executive arm of government. Therefore, the expectation is that Mr. President will sign the bill any moment and this is the expectation of Nigerian workers.” The NLC boss added that the congress had written, requesting audience with the president. Already, the NLC’s threat to the FG is brewing serious concerns among the political parties about the elections which are just about one week away. This fear was evident when SUNDAY PUNCH spoke with spokesmen of the parties. According to them, workers are major percentage of Nigerian voters and without their participation, an election cannot be said to have been conducted. The Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Lai Mohammed, said the workers’ action, portends ominous sign for the election. Mohammed added, “If workers go on strike, it will remove credibility from the elections.” The ACN spokesman queried the announcement of the minimum wage by the FG if it knew that it wasn’t ready to give workers the new package. He then called on the FG to enter into a dialogue with the NLC. His counterpart at the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Mr. Emmma Eneukwu said the workers could go about their protest in a better fashion, “We are appealing to them to come out and vote. “If they don’t, it will affect the elections. Changing the face of this nation is everyone’s responsibility and staying indoors during the elections won’t be of service to this country.” The spokesperson of the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, called on workers to rescind their decision and, “Vote for candidates that are willing to pay the minimum wage and ignore those who are not willing to pay it.” The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prof Ahmed Alkali, could not be reached as he did not pick his calls neither did he respond to the text messages sent to him by our correspondent. Sensing that the workers mean business, the FG last Friday invited the Congress to a meeting on Tuesday. Deputy President of the NLC, Mr. Promise Adewusi said, “It is our fervent hope that the President may seize the opportunity to assent to the minimum wage bill. However, our emergency Central Working Committee’s earlier call for Monday still stands.” The President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, emphasised that though many had interpreted the groups’ threat as sabotage, it would not stop them from boycotting the poll if the new minimum wage was not implemented. He said, “There will be a meeting between us and President Jonathan on Tuesday and after the meeting, the two unions will decide whether to boycott the April elections or not. It is the outcome of the meeting that will decide. “Some people are saying the planned boycott is sabotage against the government but we will go on with it if the new minimum wage is not implemented.” Esele wondered why members of the National Assembly could increase their allowance while the Federal Government continued to drag its feet before implementing the N18,000 new minimum wage. He said, “The National Assembly just passed the 2011 budget and they increased their allowance by 100 per cent. Nigeria is the only country where you increase your allowance by 100 per cent. “They increased it from N111bn to about N200bn. Nigeria is running a deficit of over N400bn, which means we are going to borrow more money very soon and you are telling me that we cannot have our N18,000 minimum wage. It is not fair and we will go to any length to ensure that what we agreed is implemented,” Esele warned. By Toyosi Ogunseye and Chukwudi Akasike Courtesy Of: Punch