Niger Delta
Odje Re- Echoes Need For Electoral Reforms
A legal luminary, Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje has warned that unless the entire electoral system in the country is reformed, any person appointed to head the electoral body, no matter how tested, will never achieve credible election in Nigeria.
Dr. Odje’s opinion seems to be in line with that of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo who recently told a Voice of America (VOA) that ‘’Even Jesus Christ cannot conduct 100 per cent free and fair election in Nigeria’’.
Dr Odje who was speaking in a public function organised by Bayelsa State Council of Nigeria Uninon of Journalists in Yenagoa, said that the removal of Professor Maurice Iwu as INEC chairman will do little to eradicate electoral fraud in the country unless the system is reformed in line with international standard.
‘Even if you appoint tested hands such as Prof Wole Soyinka to become INEC chairman, there is little he can do. The system is corrupt, until the institutions are reformed, we may not be able to conduct free and fair elections’’.
The legal luminary, expressed worry that barely 13 months to the next general elections, there is no sign of preparations due largely to political crises in the country.
Dr Odje who took a retrospective view on the federal government’s amnesty programme, faulted the way and manner of its implementation. ‘’we called the boys to come out of the creeks and we granted them amnesty but it looks as if we are not prepared for the post amnesty era’’, he said.
According to him, the oil companies too are not helping matters, because their failure to relocate their headquarters to their operational areas was inimical to the development of the region. He called on journalists to live up to expectations in discharging their duties, regretting that unlike other countries, they are not protected by the constitution.
To this end, he said while being objective in their reports, they should also be security conscious
Niger Delta
Fouchee Celebrates Asari’s Recognition
Niger Delta
Kalabari Media Forum Hails Recognition Of Dokubo Asari As Amayanabo
The Kalabari Media Forum has endorsed the recognition of Alabo, Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo Asari as the Amayanabo of Torusarama Piri and the historical relevance of the award.
A communique issued after the 2024 end of year summit of the Forum also commends the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminialaye Joseph Fubara for the recognition which they described as the best end of year gift to the Kalabari people.
The Communique signed by the Coordinator of the Forum, Alabo Dagogo Clinton and the Secretary, Mr. Harry Awolayeofori Macmorrison states that the gesture should make the Kalabari people to get back to the drawing board and consolidate on existing inter and intra communal peace within the region.
According to the statement, Torusarama Piri was the first place where the founding fathers of Kalabari converged from different cultures, tribes and backgrounds. Adding that those saying that the Kalabari people are not united should think again.
” As the different founding fathers were able to form a formidable ethnic nationality, modern day Kalabari should be able to sink the differences between the constituent communities and with other non-Kalabari speaking neighbours to achieve the needed internal cohesion for development”. It states.
The Forum further congratulated Alabo Asari Dokubo on his recognition and urged him to use the opportunity to do even more for the Kalabari people and Rivers State as a whole.
According to the statement, the Forum is happy with the recognition of Dokubo Asari not because he is one of the patrons of the Forum, but because he is about the most Kalabari-centric figure living, who has also committed enormous resources for the protection of the Kalabari people.
They urged the Kalabari Se Kobiri and the entire people of the ethnic nationality to work with Alabo Dokubo Asari and put to rest speculations about Kalabari that some persons have exploited against the interest of the Kalabari people over the years.
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