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ECOWAS Reaffirms Commitment to Peaceful Elections in Nigeria
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has reaffirmed its commitment to efforts to foster peace, security and stability for Nigeria to achieve a peaceful elections in 2023.
The Director, Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr.
Remi Ajibewa, made this known on Friday during a sensitisation workshop in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers.He said that the South-South sensitisation workshop, with the theme, “Enhancing Media and Political Parties Roles in Promoting Good Participatory Process”, intended to get response from stakeholders on how to achieve a successful electioneering process in the 2023 general election.
Ajibewa, represented by Mr Emmanuel Okorodudu, the Head of Division, Democracy and Good Governance Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Regional Security at ECOWAS, said that the Commission would identify with Nigeria as ECOWAS member state during the elections.
Ajibewa said that ECOWAS would also deploy short-term and long-term observers in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to monitor and observe the elections.
He said that ECOWAS believed that with such support, Nigeria could achieve a peaceful and violent-free electoral process.
Ajibewa, on behalf of the President of ECOWAS Commission, also thanked the Rivers Government for being a perfect host.
He also commended the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers for partnering with the Commission, the security agencies, Civil Society Organisations and the media in making the workshop a success.
He also commended the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) for its support.
He urged IPAC to work cordially with the political parties to ensure a peaceful electioneering process in the 2023 general election.
Mr Kweku Asante, the Senior Programme Manager, Media Foundation for West Africa, Accra, Ghana, said that social media should be used as a tool during and after election.
Asante, who spoke on the topic “Upholding positive media values and Ethics during electioneering”, urged media practitioners to sustain a culture of facts checking on information emanating from social media and other sources before publication.
Asante also spoke on the topic: “Social Media and Positive Citizens’ engagement for Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, opportunities for Nigerian citizens journalists, social media practitioners and political parties”.
He advised stakeholders to be present and active on social media platforms to enable them know when issues of fake news on social media would cross the line of National peace and unity.
Mr Brenard Mornah, Former Chairman, Political Party, Human Rights Advocate and Citizens Activist, Accra, Ghana, who also spoke on the topic “The Campaign Strategy for Political Parties and Positive Citizens’ engagement for Nigeria 2023 election”, commended ECOWAS for peace building across West Africa.
Mornah urged political parties to focus on issue-based campaign, saying that the choice of candidates and their activities should reflect good governance for citizens and the nation.
Mornah, who also spoke on “Managing Thuggery and Vigilantism Group Activities”, said that much attention should be given to Vigilantism due to its importance to the nation to avoid crisis.
Mr Stanley Job Stanley, the State Chairman of the NUJ, commended INEC and ECOWAS for equipping journalists through trainings and workshops.
According to Stanley, the media are well equipped and set for the 2023 election reportage in Rivers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders, during the meeting, also recommended that the security agencies’ neutrality should be paramount while pledging allegiance to the people instead of parties in power or opposition.
They also stated that protection of journalists and electorates by security agencies, especially the police, should be paramount.
They said that the election entity by the police should be holistic not excluding the political parties.
They also urged the military to stick to its Constitutional roles and stay away from politics in order not to undermine participation.
They also said that sensitisation and advocacy for security agencies in terms of further operational procedures was necessary.
They also called for equitable deployment of security personnel to all areas.
They urged the security agencies, especially the police, to be proactive, especially on social media.
On the part of the media, stakeholders recommended that journalists should be professional and abide by the Code of Ethics of the profession.
They urged journalists and the media to keep to the electoral rules and regulations, adding that insurance policy should be taken out for journalists in the region.
They also recommended that journalists should be patriotic, nation builders, conflict sensitive and promote peace journalism.
They urged media organisations to use evaluation mechanisms to counter fake news, disinformation and misinformation, adding that journalists should also be security conscious and a live to report the news.
On the part of national interest and security recommendations for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the commission urged CSOs to be home based, obey rules and regulations and have proper understanding of the new electoral act process to be able to sensitise the public.
It urged them to promote disabilities and gender equality.
Speaking on vote buying, the commission also expressed the need for intensive education or sensitisation awareness on the disadvantage.
It urged the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to scale up its surveillance during the election, by having desk officers to counter fake news and misinformation.
It urged International Observers to be objective in their reports.
The commission also urged the electorates to go out in mass and cast their votes. (NAN)
A former member of the Senate, Shehu Sani, has cautioned the National Assembly against allowing its influence to be diminished by its actions.
Sani stated this while speaking at the opening of the National Assembly Legislative Aides’ Forum (NASSLAF) Week on Tuesday in Abuja.
The pro-democracy activist also urged the legislators to selflessly live up to their responsibilities, for the good of the country.
According to him, a subservient posture by the legislature is not in the interest of the country, warning that such can impede good governance and undermine democracy.
Sani compared the current national assembly with the Eighth Assembly, led by Sen.
Bukola Saraki, praising it (Eighth Assembly) for standing firm against executive’s overreach.He observed, with dismay, that the powers of the national assembly appeared to be eroded with time.
“In our time, it was unthinkable for heads of MDAs to ignore our summons. They understood the gravity of our oversight functions,” he said.
Sani warned that the current assembly risked becoming a “rubber stamp” for the executive, sacrificing its independence and weakening democratic checks and balances.
Sani, therefore, cautioned the lawmakers against prioritising their personal gains over their constitutional responsibilities.
“This institution needs respect. If you turn yourselves into stooges, you will lose that respect. Our era defended legislative independence, but it came at a cost,” he said.
The former senator further stated that their insistence on doing the right thing birthed frosty relationships with the executive and caused delay in bills’ passage, warning that excessive cooperation was dangerous, as it could breed tyranny.
Sani cited instances where heads of MDAs openly challenged lawmakers during oversight functions, a behaviour which, he said, would not have been tolerated by previous assemblies.
“The senate president must ensure that nominees for appointments and executive proposals undergo serious scrutiny. This is not a place for automatic approval,” he stated.
Sani reminded the lawmakers that their primary duty was to serve Nigerians, not the presidency.
Sani also acknowledged what he called the vital but often over-looked roles of legislative aides, describing them as the backbone of the legislature, instrumental to drafting laws and policies for the country’s governance. (NAN)
An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, on Tuesday remanded a 50-year-old man, Ismaila Aborode, in a correctional facility for allegedly being in possession of a gun, life and expended cartridges.
Aborode, whose address was not provided, was charged with unlawful possession of firearms.
The Magistrate, Mrs Gladys Oladele did not take the plea of the defendant for want of jurisdiction.
She directed the police to return the casefile to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
She adjourned the case until Jan. 7, 2025, for mention.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Samuel Owolabi told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on Nov.
30, about 5.00 p.m, in Olede area of Ibadan.Owolabi said the defendant unlawfully possessed one locally made double barrel gun, one life cartridge and one expended cartridge, without lawful authority.
He said the offence contravened Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms Laws of Nigeria, 2004. (NAN)
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Nigerian Police Trust Fund has commenced the construction of a modern Divisional Police station to enhance the security of Ekin-Adde community in Ijumu Local Government area (LGA) of Kogi.
The Executive Secretary, the Nigerian Police Trust Fund, Alh.
Mohammed Seidu, who performed the Groundbreaking over the weekend in Ekinrin-Adde, said the project would enable police personnel to have a good working environment towards a more secure society.According to him, Kogi is strategically located at the Centre of Nigeria and Ijumu LGA borders four States, and it is key to locate such a divisional station in the area.
He commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun for his continued support in the agency’s efforts to strengthen and provide better welfare and good working conditions for the Nigerian Police.
This, he said, had been enabling the police personnel to perform effectively in protecting the lives and property of the people.
He assured that such a project would be relocated nationwide across the 36 States of the federation including FCT.
Seidu urged the contractor to do a quality job and ensure strict compliance with the specified standard, and deliver the project within the timeframe of four months.
In his remarks, the Kogi Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha said the command was happy for the gigantic project as it would take security closer to the people at the grassroots.
“You can see that this area actually requires more security presence, and when this project is completed it will attract larger personnel to this place.
“A good working and enabling environment will bring out the best in our personnel. On our side, we are going to redouble our efforts to make sure this area is safe and secured,” Onuoha said.
The CP stressed that the police and other security agencies are committed to doing their best to make sure that Kogi remains safe especially during this festive season.
The Chairman of Ijumu LGA, Alh. Haruna Ibrahim, commended the police trust fund for the gesture, and promised to support and create an enabling environment for the success of the project.
In his address, the Olu-Ade of Ekin-Adde, HRM, Oba Anthony Bamigbaiye commended the police trust fund for the gesture, saying it was a thing that the community had been yearning for.
The royal father noted that the community with over 25,000 populations had only one policeman to secure the entire community.
He stressed that the divisional station would foster economic development and security of lives and property of the people in his domain and the entire Ijumu LGA.
The traditional ruler specifically appreciated the Executive Secretary of the police trust fund being an indigene of the community for facilitating the project to boost the security of lives and property of the people.
The Project Contractor, Alh. Toyin Abubakar of RASWAS Nig. Ltd promised to execute a quality job and delivered within the timeframe by the end of March 2025
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