Nation

Electoral Bill: CSOs Warn NASS Against Postponing Resumption

Published

3 years ago

January 12, 2022

A Coalition of Civil Society Partners on Electoral Reform has warned the National Assembly against the postponement of the resumption date scheduled for January 18, warning it could jeopardise the passage of the amended Electoral Bill.
It said the National Assembly has an urgent task to override the veto of President Muhammadu Buhari or amend, pass and re-transmit the bill back to the executive for assent.
It also called on the lawmakers to suspend the House and Senate rules and bureaucracy of legislative business, and deal with the bill within 48 hours of their resumption.
The coalition disclosed this in Abuja on Monday in a press statement, to advocate for electoral reforms in the country.
The statement, which was jointly addressed by the Executive Director, Adopt A Goal Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye; Convener, Raising New Voices Initiative, Jude Feranmi; and Human Rights Advocate, Rachel Anyanwu, called on the leadership of National Assembly to rectify all errors which may cause issues in the interpretation and execution of the law by government agencies.
They added that such errors were responsible for the refusal of the president not to assent to the bill in the 8th National Assembly.
The group urged the lawmakers to do everything within their power to address the issues raised by the president if they could not get the required number to override the president’s veto.
According to the statement issued at the conference “On the 20th day of December last year, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote to the National Assembly citing varying reasons he had refused to assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill sent to him by both chambers. Mr President was quoted to have said that “the conduct of elections for the nomination of party candidates solely via direct primaries as envisaged by the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 has serious adverse legal, financial, economic and security consequences, which cannot be accommodated at the moment considering our Nation’s peculiarities.”
President Buhari also said that its introduction “has implications on the rights of citizens to participate in the government as constitutionally ensured.”
“This conclusion reached by the President drew various criticisms from the Nigerian populace and outright disappointment from the civil society organisations working to ensure the conduct of freer, fairer and more credible elections in the forthcoming exercises happening in Ekiti, Osun and the 2023 general elections.
“To say the least, Mr President’s refusal to assent to this bill has set back the advocacy for these democratic reforms. However, as civil society organisations, we cannot rest on our oars and must ensure that the desire of Nigerians for a more credible electoral process where the people can elect leaders of their choice and their votes will count must become a reality.
“It is for this reason that we are here today to call the attention of the National Assembly to make the following demands.
“Under no circumstance should the January 18 resumption date set by the leadership of both chambers for members of the Senate and House of Reps be postponed. Any further delay will put in jeopardy our efforts to ensure the passage of this bill.
“The first rule of business upon resumption should be the issue of the Electoral Reforms Amendment Bill. While the National Assembly may choose to override the President’s veto and go ahead to pass the bill into law, they may also choose to review the bill to meet the President’s demands and transmit back to him for assent. We are asking that this step, whatever the members may decide should be the first business of legislation.”
The statement added that for democracy to bring development to the people and an improved standard of living, elections must be fair and seen, to be honest.

Nation

Council Boss Impeached 48 Hours To LG Polls In Katsina

Published

1 week ago

February 14, 2025

The Tide

The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.

Nation

Association Tasks Fubara On Rumuwoji Market Phase Three

Published

1 week ago

February 14, 2025

The Tide

The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.

Nation

AfDB President Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition

Published

1 week ago

February 14, 2025

The Tide

The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.