#NigeriaDecides: America’s Ambassador Says The PVC Is ‘Better’ Than US Voter Card

The Ambassador of the United States to Nigeria, James Entwistle has commended the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) in the general elections which commenced on Saturday, March 28.

Speaking with journalists at the International Conference Centre, venue of the National Collation Centre of the election results, on Sunday, March 29, the ambassador said that Nigerian PVCs involved superior technology which his state of Virginia in the US needed to copy.

“I am very impressed by the decision of INEC to use technology in this election. The Permanent Voter Cards are very high-tech. They are more high tech than my voter card from the state of Virginia in the US.

“My voter card does not have biometric. It does not have my fingerprint. The high-tech gives the process more integrity. I congratulate INEC on taking the part of High-tech. I think we need to come and study it so that we can use it in my country,” he said.

The ambassador expressed hope that INEC would address the challenges experienced in the use of card readers and move forward.

Source: www.ekekee.com

Concerns Mount of Possible Tampering as Nigeria Tallies Votes

Nigerian election officials sifted through millions of votes from this weekend's national elections Monday, as questions emerged about the tallying process and tensions rose in some states about possible vote-rigging.

Early official results showed President Goodluck Jonathan had won three states and the federal capital territory of Abuja.

His main rival, Muhammadu Buhari, meanwhile, won five states, including four in the south, which is generally considered a Jonathan stronghold, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Independent observers said the balloting, which was extended by a day after technical problems arose with a new anti-fraud system, was conducted without major problems.

But concerns arose Monday that the process of counting the raw votes may be in danger of being manipulated.

The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, one of several local groups monitoring the polls, said politicians might use security agencies to “fiddle with the election collation process” at the state level.

In an indication of the potential seriousness of the problem, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond released a joint statement Monday saying there were "disturbing indications" that the collation process "may be subject to deliberate political interference."

Jonathan, a Christian from the south, has been in office since 2010 and his Peoples Democratic Party has held the presidency since 1999. Buhari, a Muslim from the north and a former military ruler, is heading up the ticket for the opposition All Progressives Congress.

To win the election without a runoff, a candidate needs a majority of the nationwide vote while also securing at least 25 percent of the ballots in two-thirds of the country's 36 states and the capital.

Delays, attacks at polling sites

The vote was scheduled to be held on Saturday, but technical glitches with a new biometric vote system led officials to extend voting into Sunday. Some polling stations, particularly in the north, were hit with attacks from Boko Haram militants.

Observer missions by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States said, despite logistical problems and some violence, the organization of the vote was "acceptable."

The National Democratic Institute, a nongovernmental organization funded in part from the U.S. and other governments, praised the election, despite the technical problems and sporadic violence.

Christopher Fomunyoh, a Nigerian expert with the organization, said Monday the group saw no evidence of the military interfering in the poll, as many had feared.

However, “we have concerns about the collation process because of the multilayered collation mechanism," Fomunyoh said.

That referred to the fact that results are collated separately in each polling station and state as well as in the main center in Abuja, a practice that should be reviewed given the new technology, he said.

The statement by Kerry and Hammond echoed those concerns.

The U.S. and British governments "would be very concerned by any attempts to undermine the independence of the electoral commission or its chairman...or in any way distort the expressed will of the Nigerian people," the statement said.

Festus Okoye, national coordinator for the Independent Election Monitoring Group and a member of the Situation Room, said there were concerns in three states in particular: Rivers, Imo and Benue.

“Now to collate the results, people are trying to tamper with it," Okoye said.

"We believe this election represents a quantum leap in our democratic aspirations and in our determination to institutionalize democracy in this country," he said. "We will not like a situation where some elements within the political elite who did not fight for democracy will take us back to where we are coming from and we will not tolerate that type of situation.”

Local tensions

In the southern state of Rivers, tensions mounted as opposition officials and supporters called for the election to be re-done. The state's governor reportedly refused to cast his vote over concerns the local vote could be manipulated.

Police on Monday used tear gas to disperse hundreds of women dressed in black, who marched on the state electoral office in Port Harcourt.

The country's top election official, Attahiru Jega, said his office was investigating the complaints in Rivers and other states.

"There are many alleged cases of malpractices and we certainly pay a lot of attention to investigating this and if our staff are involved in any way or manner, obviously we will apply the appropriate sanctions and take the appropriate decisions as provided for by the electoral legal framework,” Jega said.

Elsewhere, the military fired warning shots after hundreds of youth gathered outside the local electoral office in Bauchi state, shouting opposition slogans and shouting that they would protect their vote from rigging.

Nigeria was originally due to hold the election in mid-February, but officials pushed back the vote because of fighting and instability in northeastern states where Boko Haram militants have been battling the government since 2009.

The security situation improved after a multinational offensive drove the militants from many towns they had controlled.

Source: VOA

Nigeria Police Force Warns On Deployment Of Unauthorised Uniformed Security Agencies To Polling Units

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba, CFR, NPM, NPOM, mni has ordered that on no account should uniformed private/government security agencies and voluntary organisations such as Boys Scout, Vigilante Group, Boys Brigade, Peace Ambassador, Man’O War etc, be seen in uniform within 300 metres of a Polling unit.

Again, the Police High Command has restated the restriction of vehicular movement during the general elections on 28th March, 2015 and 11th April, 2015, respectively. The restriction will be from 8.00am to 5.00pm on both election days. While warning politicians and VIPs not to go to polling units on the day of the election with armed orderlies, the IGP said the use of siren, revolving lights, tinted glasses by unauthorised citizens would not be allowed.

The Inspector-General of Police wishes to reassure the public of the commitment of the Force to the provision of round-the-clock security before, during and after the general elections for the teeming citizens of the country. In the same vein, citizens are reminded of their civic responsibility of obedience to all laws of the State and thus advised to conduct themselves for free, fair and violence-free elections.

Ag. CP EMMANUEL C. S. OJUKWU, psc

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,

FORCE HEADQUARTERS,

ABUJA.

FG sues Emirates Airline, officials over alleged $1.6m theft

The Federal Government yesterday filed  a criminal charge against Emirates Airline and five officials of the company before a Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged theft of $1.6 million belonging to one Prince Chu Ikem Orji
Orji had recently written a petition to the Ministry of Justice asking it to investigate the alleged theft of his money by the officials of the airline.
It was on the strength of his complaint that the   government charged officials of the airline to court.
Others charged  include; Abayomi Adekanbi Abiola, Isiaka Adegoke Adedeji, Awonubi Abayomi, Obinna Onyeukwu Onyenso George Ikpekhia.
Pathfinder International Limited and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc.
The accused persons are facing 11 counts charge bordering on stealing, fraud, obtaining money under false pretence, wilful destruction of evidence and failure to report an international transfer of funds.
According to the charge, the accused persons are alleged to have on December 19, 2007 at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, stolen four bags with tag number: EK 428682, EK 428683, EK 650162, EK 650161, containing $1.6million belonging to Prince Chu Ikem Orji, on the promise of keeping the bags intact for onward delivery to him in Guangzhou, China.
They were also alleged to have conspired to fraudulently  defraud the man of the four bags containing the said amount and wilfully destroying the evidence by deleting the baggage details in the system.
The prosecuting counsel, Michael O. S., said the offences are punishable under the law.
But the accused persons couldn’t be arraigned yesterday due to a request for a short adjournment by the defence lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN). He told the court that he was just briefed about the case, and that since the seventh accused was also not in court, it would be proper to reschedule the arraignment.
He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him go through the case file and for all accused persons to be properly arraigned before the court.
The prosecution lawyer opposed Kalu’s prayer on the ground that the absence of the seventh accused person could not delay the arraignment of others.
He applied to the court for the withdrawal of the seventh accused person from the charge to allow other accused persons take their plea.
Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case till April 2 for the arraignment of all accused persons.

Daily Trust

OUR DEAR FIRST LADY - Dele Momodu

Your Excellency please let me start by emphasising the fact that this is my very first letter to you since destiny elevated you and your husband to the highest positions in Nigeria. It may be the last before your tenure expires on May 29, 2015, and another begins with you or someone else in the saddle. Despite all the controversies engulfing you and your husband, I had resisted the temptation of writing you in the past for several, if not many, reasons. Kindly permit me to expatiate a bit.

I’m a great admirer of strong, confident and energetic women who cannot be bullied by the galaxy of male chauvinists that litter the political landscape of Africa. As someone who was brought up by my amazing mum, Omo Arotiwebiojo, an unlettered woman and petty trader, I knew what it took to survive in a particularly difficult terrain. Indeed, whilst some have impugned you for your so-called lack of command of the English language, I have remained partial to you because, like most of us, English is not your first language, and your contributions have enriched our home-grown lexicon! I can therefore imagine what you and our dear beloved President must have gone through together, in thunder, lightning, rain and sunshine.

The hurly-burly of life must have thrown you hither and thither when there was no one else around to share in your secret pain and anguish. But it must have pleased God in His infinite mercy to raise you and your husband up, like Jesus did to a dead Lazarus, as original examples of uncommon transformation.

I must say, Ma, that I have a soft spot for you for other reasons. I was told on good authority that you were a more formidable politician and mobiliser of people and resources than your husband. A few of your friends often regale how you have been a solid pillar and a rock of Gibraltar behind the love of your life, Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan. It is said that you’re willing to sacrifice your all for his sake and he has also reciprocated by according you humongous respect and granting you such vast powers that make onlookers see you as a de facto President in your own right. To God be the glory.

I vividly recollect your relationship with the former First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua. You gave her tremendous respect and your taciturnity was legendary. Not much was heard from you at that time and not many, except probably Bayelsans, ever suspected that you had so much buried inside your heart and that you were only waiting for the opportune time to vomit them. Even in the days of tribulations when the cabal held sway and grabbed our nation by the jugular, you and your husband handled the volatile situation with maturity and remarkable equanimity. Some of us were ready to fight your battle, and risked our lives, because we saw you as the underdogs who must be rescued from the fangs of the political hyenas. We were further emboldened by the facts of your husband’s man-in-the-street story, a fairy-tale of sorts about a man from the Otuoke manger who had no shoes. We were not just titillated but fascinated by such flashes of inspiration.

Against all odds, your husband became the substantive President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria after the demise of President Yar’Adua. Nigerians were happy about the smooth transition of power and they even boasted that for the first time we had not just another graduate but a PhD holder as President. Sooner than later, as time sped by, it was time for your husband to run his own race. Nigerians from all walks of life queued behind him and he won without much ado. The goodwill he garnered was awesomely massive and the people were very expectant about the “fresh air” promised by him. Of course, to whom much is given, much is expected.

It is nearly four years since that momentous occasion and it is time for a re-examination and re-election. But what should have been a simple walk-over for your sweetheart seems to have developed k-leg. While your husband and those close to him would want us to believe he is Nigeria’s best President ever, many Nigerians feel he has under-performed and would want to try someone else. I have seen you and your husband waka up and down this nation campaigning like no man’s business. Many have likened the exercise to a student engaging in last minute agberu (memorising) after failing to do so all along.  This is the crux of my epistle to you today.

I have read and heard so much about you as a very powerful First Lady. I know that when you are at that level, not many people can tell you the gospel truth. No one wants to offend those in power. But I have decided to tell you the bitter reality once and for all. I’m not writing out of any malice, since none can exist between us. But for the sake of posterity, which I know beckons as always; the fact must be told to you. The summary of what I’m about to say is that you and your husband have frittered away most of your goodwill.

Had you retained your humility in power, may be you could have avoided this commotion and conundrum of trying to achieve in two months what you couldn’t in about five years. You would probably have avoided the tragedy of trying to manipulate the electoral process, buying more time and doing a catch-up on lost grounds.

If the actuality must be told Ma, the whole trouble started the day you publicly ridiculed the Governor of your home state. It was reported that you yanked a microphone out of his hands and lambasted him like a recalcitrant school boy. In order not to cause mayhem right there, the Governor was said to have left you to your tantrums and went home quietly like a penitent student. That day, you sowed the seed of discord that would later germinate and snowball into a consuming fire. Though the Governor and your husband like true gentlemen chose to carry on their damaged relationship as if all was well, but the worst was on the way.

The battle for the soul and control of your state would later spread to Abuja where your husband began to see the Governor as an enemy who must be cut down to size. In the process of trying to achieve that dream, more Governors joined the fray and in a jiffy, the centre could no longer hold. I do not want to go into some obvious details as I’m sure you know about the intrigues of power more than me. But I must give one more example of how you laid the foundation for today’s grand alliance against your husband.

Let me put it this way. Never in the history of Nigeria have I read of a First Lady responding to criticisms in the frontal manner you attacked Professor Wole Soyinka over an issue that you could easily have ignored. That singular act of unrestrained combativeness was one of your worst public relations gaffes. Wole Soyinka is one of those global icons that you can’t take on and win. If for nothing, here was a man who at about 76 years of age trekked under the scorching sun of Abuja to defend the rights of your husband when many of the acolytes around you today were nowhere to be found.

You were not supposed to repay such selfless gestures with verbal blows. That was when you finally lost me and I’m sure many others.
Let me remind you that virtually all Nigerian leaders have been disparaged at one time or the other. It is one of the heavy prices to pay in compensation for the privileges of leadership. Just imagine how much some of us attacked President Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, General Sani Abacha and others over the June 12 crisis.

None of their wives ever hit back at the critics no matter the degree of provocation. In fact, they acted perfectly normal and even tried to build bridges of friendship instead of bombing the castle. I remember with fond memories, Dr (Mrs) Maryam Ndidi Babangida, who remained graceful to the very end. Mrs Maryam Abacha endured the most blistering attacks against her husband in life and death. She has since reconciled with many of her husband’s vociferous enemies. Hajia Turai Yar’Adua was subjected to virulent criticism by many, and I confess I was one of her knockers in the dying throes of the cabal, but she wisely kept her own counsel and declined to join issues with anyone. When it dawn on her that the battle was lost and won, she packed her baggage out of Aso Rock without as much as a whimper.

If Justice Fati Abubakar was a selfish woman and a poor adviser to her husband, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, she would have insisted that they should not quit power within the one year he promised to hand over to a democratically-elected President. That government had more than enough resources to buy the ubiquitous array of mercenaries but General Abubakar chose to go in peace and not in pieces. It was such a rarity in Africa and till this day the General is still enjoying a standing ovation for his vision.

I must also mention specifically Mrs Stella Obasanjo, whose husband has always had a running battle with the media and yet she maintained steady media frenzy in her own kingdom. She was everyone’s friend and continues to be fondly remembered even in death. I recollect one occasion when we travelled to Beverley Hills, USA, with her, and her simplicity just wowed everyone. She made sure we jumped in the cars and buses and headed out to a night club owned by Don Cornelius. She was so down to earth. On her last trip to Ghana before her unfortunate death, I had gone to pay her a visit at M-Plaza hotel where she and President Obasanjo stayed. Despite my frosty relationship with her husband, we sat in one corner chatting away as the President attended to his own visitors. She never got involved in our endless battles with Baba. I have cited these examples to show that you and your husband are not alone in the barrage of criticisms and attacks. You must rise up way above such pedestal. But sadly, you have not been able to allow any comment pass you by, no matter how mundane.

I decided to write this open letter after the spate of vocal terror you deployed in the last few days against your husband’s opponents. In case some praise-singers told you lies that what you did was right, I wish to assure you that you’ve done almost irreparable damage to your husband’s presidential campaign. I will now proceed to paraphrase about three of those satanic verses that escaped from your tongue this week alone, but not in any particular order.
The first shocker was when you said before a crowd that those shouting the mantra of Change are not serious and that as a matter of fact they should be stoned anywhere they shout Change! I thought it was a joke until the video went viral. The next one was when you spoke dispassionately about how your husband should be praised and thanked for improving the welfare of the menacing Almajiri kids in Northern Nigeria but you then went astray by insensitively and inconsiderately saying that the Northerners are fond of bearing children with reckless abandon and throwing them on the streets to fend for themselves. You went further to say such things don’t happen in the part of Nigeria you come from. I think that wasn’t very nice or tactful.

The last straw for me was when you declared matter-of-factly that your husband’s main challenger, Major General Muhammadu Buhari should not be voted in because he is “brain dead”, according to you. That was extremely malevolent and sinister, to say the least. It is not an elegant language to be used by any lady not to mention the First Lady and certainly not about a former Head of State of the same country that you are governing and from whose citizens you are seeking a second term in office. However, I believe that this may have been an innocent quip. Whilst some may be willing to forgive such naivety, it is essential for you to quickly assure Nigerians that you meant no harm and that despite the ill-feeling and bitterness that politics and electioneering may engender you wish no evil to any man least of all your husband’s leading rival and contender. There is nothing wrong in admitting your mistake of commission or omission. It is actually a sign of strength.
In conclusion, I think you need to offer urgent apologies for those unguarded, unbecoming statements and try to be more circumspect in the future. One of your best appellations that I love most sincerely is that of Mama Peace. Please, don’t change it to Mama War …!

May God continue to bless you and yours.

Source: THISDAY

Buhari, Chatham House and the enemies of truth - Uche Igwe

Hate him or love him, the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi remains one of the greatest assets to the political machinery of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(rtd). It was Mr. Amaechi who mooted the idea that it was necessary to present his boss some opportunities to engage the global community and Nigerians in the diaspora.

His argument was that many of the people who knew Mr. Buhari met him almost thirty years ago as a military leader and a dictator. Amaechi suggested that the world needed to meet the Buhari who has become a converted democrat. His thinking struck me and coincided with the time when some international organisations were also seeking to host Buhari.

I decided to offer some assistance in that regard. That was how the whole issue about General Buhari travelling abroad started. The initial plan was for him to take a break and travel to speak at the prestigious Washington DC based think-tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the 26th of January. We reckoned that the General could stop over in London and also speak at Chatham House. Two of my friends, Jerome Okolo and Engr. Preye Aganaba worked with me closely to put the arrangements together. Preye is a resourceful politician and the APC candidate for Baylesa Central Senatorial zone.

I can say without equivocation that both gentlemen are patriots who love this country and are always ready to contribute to anything that will bring progress to it. Everything about the trip was already set when we learnt that United States Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry will be visiting Nigeria and had requested to meet with General Buhari. We had to put off all the plans until a future date.
I decided to tell this story to enlighten the public about how this whole thing began. There are those who have attempted to distort the story and other who insinuate lies and spread falsehood that any of these events especially that of Chatham House was procured. Nothing can be farther from the truth. No one paid anything to these two prestigious independent organisations that have done very impressive research work on Nigeria.

I believe that even propaganda has got its limits. I find the allegations of President Jonathan’s supporters like Femi Fani-Kayode and Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State as preposterous, comical and even foolish. One will at least be worried about someone like Femi that claims to have gone to some familiar schools. However if the news about his mental history is true, then I will gladly forgive his outbursts which fits into medical manifestations of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

For Ayo Fayose, no one is surprised at all. That he is a product politics of brigandage and rigging is known to many of us. He is one guy who can do anything to express his gratitude to those who masterminded his underserved victory. For those who do not know, this Chatham House that they talk about with such disdain was ranked the second most influential think-tank in the world by the 2014 Global Go To Think Tank’s Report recently released by the University of Pennsylvania. Such organisations are heavily relied on to set global foreign policy agenda and craft new initiatives. How will these Jonathan’s apologists dare to smear such a reputable institution? Funnily President Jonathan’s National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki(rtd) spoke at the same place a few weeks ago. Does that mean that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), spent billions too to procure the opportunity? If so, then they need to explain to the world who they possibly paid the monies to?

On a more serious note, I think that the lies spread about the health of General Buhari is both unacceptable and wicked. Let us for the sake of argument say that he visited his doctor after a hectic nationwide campaign tour. So what is wrong with that? Anyone can go to hospital. Even some of us who are younger do go to check ourselves from time to time. Those who are fixated on issues of the health of the APC Presidential candidate are simply distracting Nigerians.

The election is only a few weeks away. I noticed that President Jonathan has taken a few important steps during the break offered by the postponement of the elections. The Nigerian President’s visit to conflict ridden areas of Baga and Mubi was very a strategic and helpful move. However I consider it belated and opportunistic. Why did the President wait for this long after many people have been murdered by Boko Haram? What was he waiting for? Be that as it may, I expected his supporters to spend time on spreading such messages nationwide to convert those who are still sitting on the fence about their candidate rather than dwelling on fictitious rumours and outright falsehood about his opponent. Back to the Chatham House event. I arrived at the venue early so that I can be one of the first persons to see General Buhari on his feet! The falsehood about his poor health situation was so strong and spread quickly in Nigeria that many people were alarmed and almost believed.

How can people just wake up to manufacture unfounded rumours? One serving Senator called me to ask for the true position of things but I assured him that all was well and the man will come to the session. Former Speaker, Hon. Felicia Etteh was one of the early arrivals, followed by former Governor Oyinlola, then former Governor Kayode Fayemi and Mr. Garba Shehu of the Buhari Campaign organisation.

I stood outside for a while and was literally peeping into every car until a car pulled up from where Mallam Nasir El-Rufai appeared. I could not hide my anxiety but he quietly assured me of General Buhari’s impending arrival. While we were talking with him, a black Mercedes Benz mini-bus pulled up from where General Buhari, Governor Amaechi and a few others emerged. It was a momentary frenzy as all of us struggled to take a picture of him as he made his way promptly into the Chatham House waiting area. I was pleasantly surprised that he showed no sign of someone who suffered or is suffering a debilitating illness the kind that has been painted and peddled in sections of the Nigerian media. I will not dwell so much on the General’s speech. Many analysts rated it as one of the most excellently written and delivered by any politician about our country lately. No doubt the APC candidate needs to do more work on the eloquence of his message and his flow though I must add that he has improved considerably. In all, I was impressed by the firmness of his promises to promote infrastructure, reform the political economy, curb Boko Haram insurgency and the explanation he offered about how he will lead these efforts from the front. His clarification that there will be no confusion about where he stands on the issue of corruption re-affirmed what many people in the audience wanted to hear about how he will bring political will to brought to bear in the battle against the most cancerous scourge in the Nigerian polity.

By taking responsibility of his actions as a military ruler, the APC candidate charmed many and presented himself as someone ready to lead and learn. Despite the rain and the interference of the few ‘rented’ protesters outside, I left the venue to my Brighton abode with a sense of fulfilment. For me if the public reception of his Chatham House speech affect the 28th March elections, many Nigerians will decide to vote for Buhari. However time will tell.