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2011 Polls: PDP Calls For Inclusive Voter Education

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The Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) has called for “encompassing voter education” to sensitise Nigerians about the 2011 general elections.

Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, the National Secretary, who made the call in Abuja our correspondent reports that noted that the experience most voters had in previous polls

regarding electoral fraud and other manipulations had discouraged them from coming out to vote.

Mohammed, however, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), parties and aspirants to put in measures aimed at educating the electorate on the forthcoming elections.

“Education of voters should be a triangular effort, involving the electoral body on one hand, political parties on the other hand and then the aspirants.

“I believe that if we have all these three involved in sensitisation campaigns, virtually voters will react positively in coming out to vote en masse,” he said.

Mohammed noted that the new Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was a credible person and, therefore, would not compromise his reputation on the issue of poll malpractice.

He urged Jega to build on the trust reposed in him by the electorate.

The party scribe called on the electorate to adequately protect their votes, pointing out the experience in Bauchi State in the 2007 general elections should be emulated.

Mohammed said the governorship election was adequately protected at the polls, noting that the electorate resisted any manipulation and called on the people to use constitutional means to protect their votes.

“People have to learn from what happened in Bauchi in the 2007 general elections where the electorate protected their votes, ensuring that the results were not manipulated.

“The people employed all necessary measures to protect their votes and at the end their votes counted.

“We have to adopt what happened in Bauchi, and that should be a vital lesson to every voter, everywhere in the country.”

The party scribe noted that the proposition to deregister parties that failed to win a seat in the legislature as prescribed by the House of Representatives was a negation of the people’s right to assembly.

He advised that parties should not be wiped off by legislation, stressing that parties which were unable to stand the test of time would naturally fold up.

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Gov Alia Appoints TuFace As Adviser

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Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”

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Oborevwori, Okowa Dump PDP For APC

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Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Speakers Conference Tasks FG, Governors On Wanton Killings

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The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.

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