₦airaland Forum

March 13, 2023 696 0

Jide Ajani

In matters of election petitions, Richard Osuolale Abimbola Akinjide remains a legend.

Having successfully determined the letters and spirit of the Electoral Decree of 1977, proving to the courts that Section 34 (A) (l) (c) (ii) of the Electoral Decree, means that two-thirds of a state is synonymous with votes cast in two – thirds of votes cast in the territorial or physical areas of the state and, thereby, handing Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari the presidential election victory of 1979, Akinjide remains very relevant to jurisprudential matters in Nigeria.

Practising his law at over 70 years, Akinjide still appears in court – he’s about the most visible minister in the Second Republic who is not only in politics but has his professional calling as first love.

Therefore, Sunday Vanguard decided to seek his opinion on the seeming futility of a political party pursuing an election petition in a presidential election, especially in the face of the punishing Doctrine of Substantial Compliance.

This legal luminary agreed with Sunday Vanguard that an election petition at that level is no more than a fool’s errand (Read Prologue) – a wasted effort

Excerpts:

Can we have a flawless election anywhere in the world?

No! Anywhere in the world, whether it is Europe, America or even in Africa, it is accepted that in a normal democracy, it is impossible to conduct a flawless election. It is humanly impossible and that is why you have the doctrine of substantial compliance that is written into all election laws in all countries.

The doctrine of Substantial Compliance! What does it mean?

With the doctrine of substantial compliance, it is implicit and conceded that there must be flaws in the election but that once there is substantial compliance, then the election should be accepted as having substantially complied with the laws and the return should not be upset.

But why shouldn’t an election be upturned if there are flaws?

If you look at what happened in 1960 in the United States when John Fitzgerald Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon, there were flaws in the election in Chicago; there were flaws in the elections in Texas. The majority of Kennedy over Nixon was very thin and supporters of Nixon urged him to file a petition but Nixon said no.

He explained that if he filed an election petition and he won, it would damage, forever, the United States and the legitimacy of the office of the president of the United States.

Nixon went on to say that it is better for Nixon not to be president than for an American institution to be damaged and, therefore, he refused to file a petition against Kennedy’s victory in 1960 – I was in New York at that time. This is a lesson which our leaders here should learn.

But there is a difference between the two countries…?

Yes, there is a difference and the difference between the United States and Nigeria is that the United States is a nation while Nigeria is a country and not a nation. Many people who file election petitions here don’t look at it from a national perspective but from a sectional point. You want to be president of Nigeria and not the president of the East, West or Delta or North and that is the critical difference between us here and the countries of the West.

Let’s even find out, would you take a case to appeal an election victory or a presidential election at that? Would you come forward and prove that an election did not substantially comply with the provisions of the law?

Is that based on principles or on the understanding of the letters and spirit of the law?

I will not and the lawyers who are advising the would-be petitioners should be very, very careful and also put not only the law into consideration but also the national interest and the consequences of any debacle.

That an election was flawed and a winner has emerged is enough debacle! So, what other debacle?

Good question! The new president has to summon the first meeting of the National Assembly and that is the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Now, if there is no president, the National Assembly can not meet and the previous president can not summon that assembly because his term has expired so he can not. It is the new president that would do it.

So, in the event that there is no president who would do it! There would be total anarchy and chaos in the land. The same thing applies in the state where the new governor is expected to inaugurate the state house of assembly.

That doctrine…?

Apart from the Doctrine of Substantial Compliance, there is also a Doctrine of Consequences, the Doctrine of Consequences, was applied during the election debacle between George Bush and Al Gore because of the problem of Florida. The United States can not afford not to have a president and by voting of five to four, the United States of America’s Supreme Court said Bush was validly returned and the moment the court said that Gore just picked up his phone and called up Bush to congratulate him and with that call gave validity and legitimacy to Bush as president.

These are the things we should learn and not party interest or personal interest or sectional interest.

Within the context of our own environment and contestation for power, we have heard politicians say openly that they would rather rig and win rather than be the one to file a petition, that they would rather be the defendant of a flawed electoral victory than be the litigant who would be saddled with the burden of proving that an election did not substantially obey the law. In this context, is the law not creating an environment where people would just go ahead to rig, win and wait for the other party to come and prove that there was no substantial compliance?

If you look at the process in Europe, the United States and other civilised countries, they put a searchlight on aspirants. This is because the private lives of a would-be public servant is of national interest because those countries would not want to put a crook in power, one that would put sectional or private interests above national interests or the common good.

Therefore, in my view, the present electoral law is too cumbersome, it should be simplified and emphasis should be placed on character and on national interests. India as the greatest democracy in the world, you would not hear some of this rubbish we seem to be used to here. You will not see somebody in office after a year or two and an election petition is still going on; that is absolute rubbish. But it is not the fault of the people it is the law. During the Tafawa Balewa and Shehu Shagari time, the electoral law was simplified and simple such that all election petitions are concluded before swearing-in.

Our laws say the litigant must prove that the elections are flawed. Using substantial compliance doctrine, how easy would it be for a litigant to prove that an election did not substantially comply in a presidential election in Nigeria?

The law is the law because when you go to court even on any matter, you must prove your case.

The onus is on you whether it is an election matter or a land matter you’ve gone to court so you must prove your case. When you say somebody has stolen money, you must prove it. So when you go to court to say an election was flawed, then you must prove your case.

In 1979, the contention was about what constitutes two-thirds. Give a summary of that great trial?

My defence against Chief Awolowo’s petition was predicated on three critical points. One is that there was total compliance in accordance with the electoral law. In the alternative, there was substantial compliance.

Thirdly, in any event, the electoral petition and the reliefs sought were flawed and Justice Otutu Obaseki highlighted that very thoroughly.

So, from the point of view of total compliance or substantial compliance or the way the petition was presented, we won.

Professor Reid, of the University of London, wrote to me and also told me that what I did has made a notable contribution to constitutional law all over the world.

There is no doubt that the case of Awolowo Vs Shagari has been cited in many electoral petition cases in the country because I hear of some rubbish in some places that the judgment should not be cited. That is absolute rubbish.

Beremx:
If terrorists can have the new naira notes supplied to them, I don't see why Tinubu doesn't have his own supplied long ago.
And they say the new notes is to curb vote buying by Tinubu. Because of the scarcity of the notes, vote buying will happen. Nigerians will gladly collect the money because it's scarce.
Who's fooling who?

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has appealed to Nigerians to show understanding, adding that the redesigned notes will circulate and be accessible.

The apex bank also pledged to stop Point of Sale charges as the February 10 deadline for the swapping of old naira notes with new ones approaches.

Emefiele made the appeal at a special media briefing on the new naira notes, on Friday, in Lagos.

He noted he could see the protests and arguments surrounding the difficulty citizens were facing in accessing the new notes.

“I understand the agitation and I’m begging in God’s name, we are on our knees begging people to please show understanding. They should be calm.

“In our meetings with the banks, we have told them to set up tents and chairs, give people numbers, which I’m sure some people will say it is old fashioned.

“But at this time that we’re trying to get the currency in circulation amongst everybody, people have to have numbers and they come in under a queueing arrangements that when you come in you get served, if it finishes, just be patient.

“By tomorrow, when you come back, they will start from where they stopped, you will not be cheated.

“Let’s just be calm and adopt a good queueing system, the assurance we give is that it will eventually go round.

“Eventually the limits will be raised and eventually the limits will be removed and people will be able to conduct their business transactions in a way that it has always been in the past,” Emefiele said.

On high charges by the Point of Sale agents on every transaction made by their customers, the apex bank governor urged banks to stop the charges on the PoS.

“I am going to be calling a meeting with the banks this evening or by tomorrow, if those charges go to or those charges have been charged through the bank, we are going to have an arrangement with even telcos to see how those charges can actually at this time be stopped.

“Those charges at this time should be stopped. So, if we know whatever you are making that you’re not making because we stopped it, we can collect it somewhere and look for a way to pay you.

“But we don’t want you to continue to create pain on those who want to use alternative channels when they cannot have cash in their pocket.

“We will go into this later this night or even tomorrow, we’re going to call a meeting of both the banks and the mobile networks; at this time nobody should be charged, if you are charged, we will need to know about it.

“But we would want this service to continue to be offered. Whatever it is in terms of volume and number that you have carried out. We will look for away to pay you your money,” he said.

NAN reports that the redesigned naira notes comprising N200, N500 and N1,000, came into use on Dec. 15, 2022, after they were unveiled by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Nov. 23, 2022 in Abuja.

The CBN had earlier fixed Jan. 31 as deadline for the collection of old naira notes, but later extended the time limit to Feb. 10.

The CBN governor had said the extension was to allow Nigerians that had naira legitimately earned and trapped the opportunity to deposit their money for exchange.

The governor had ordered banks to load their Automated Teller Machines with the new naira notes to ensure Nigerians had access to them.

NAN

michlins:
What I need to understand is what they did in the hospital that will cost 19ml.

In case you don't know, the owner of the hospital is one of the richest man in Anambra State. When he started the hospital,he said it's a foundation to give back

The February 25 presidential election will be used to prove strategic importance of Rivers State in Nigeria’s politics, Governor Nyesom Wike said yesterday.

He said there was nothing to show for the state’s support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 1999, stating that Rivers would no long be dumping ground.

Wike spoke at Elele Civic Centre, where he kicked-off the construction of Elele Internal Roads in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

He reminded the people that Rivers stood strong in the scheme of national affairs, adding that anybody supported by the state should reciprocate the gesture.

The governor described as unfortunate that instead of appreciating the reality, some people have been busy issuing political threats against the state.

He warned those dishing out threats to have a rethink to avoid problems.

According to him, Rivers had remained the bedrock of the PDP since 1999, provided the party with bulk of votes and logistics than any PDP state in the country.

The governor boasted that there would have been no PDP without Rivers State.

He said: “Despite the state’s contributions, there is nothing of note, in terms of project that can be reckoned as benefit to justify the support,” the governor said.

Wike recalled that Rivers refused to enter into negotiation with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government as done by other states and did not give President Muhammadu Buhari 25 per cent votes in the 2019 election despite the heavy military presence in the state.

He explained that Rivers ranked above other states and therefore must be treated with respect.

Ahead of the elections, the governor disclosed that some politicians were mounting pressure on the National Assembly to speedily pass the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) N500 billion budget.

He said: “Since the NDDC was established, look at the money that has gone into the commission, what can we show for it? The NDDC has become a cash cow for politicians. The President has just inaugurated the new board of the NDDC.

“You know what is going on now? There is N500 billion budget for NDDC. Election is coming from February 25, Now, what the politicians have done is to put pressure on the National Assembly so that they will pass the N500bb budget for NDDC.”

He explained that some politicians with vested interest in the 2023 general elections had already determined how the NDDC budget would be siphoned at the detriment of the election.

Wike described as regrettable that those overseeing the affairs of the NDDC have been sons and daughters of the oil-producing states, yet, the commission had never deemed it appropriate to seek the input of the state in its budget preparation.

He said the Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice had been mandated to challenge some perceived fraudulent provisions of the budget, such as the allocation of N60 billion for building a spurious safe haven for a particular security agency and N4 billion for cleaning of gutters, in court.

The governor lamented that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs had been rendered redundant, as supervision of the NDDC had become the sole responsibility of the minister.

Speaking on the project, Wike told the people of Elele that the entire roads network in the town would be reconstructed to serve as part of appreciation for their support to his administration since 2015.

He explained that all the indigenous contractors being used by his administration have shown capacity and assured that no project would be abandoned.

Urging them to support his quest for consolidation by voting Siminialayi Fubara as his successor and Prof Ngozi Ordu as his running mate, Wike assured that the duo will build on the foundation laid by his administration.

Providing the description of the project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo, said the Elele Internal Roads was awarded to the contractor, Oki & Sons Ltd on the 28th October 2022.

According to him, the nine-kilometre will have six-kilometre drains with three-month completion date.

…says Atiku has more cause to worry

By Iwok Iniobong on September 23, 2022

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 general election, is expected to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has said in a new country report.

The EIU said in 2019 that Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would win that year’s election. In 2015, it predicted victory for Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

In its latest report ahead of the next year’s presidential election, it said the chances of Atiku in winning the poll would be significantly affected by the current internal wrangling in the PDP and the growing popularity of Peter Obi, the candidate of Labour Party (LP), in the South-East, which is traditionally the powerhouse of the PDP.

Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, defeated several APC leaders to emerge the party’s presidential candidate in May.

Most of his opponents stepped down for him just before the commencement of the primary election, while other aspirants including Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo went ahead to test their popularity with Tinubu, but lost.

However, in recent months, Tinubu’s choice of Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State and a fellow Muslim, as his running mate has continued to generate controversy in the APC and across the country ahead of next year’s election.

But the EIU said it does not appear that the same-faith ticket would affect the chances of Tinubu in the presidential election.

“We expect Tinubu to take the presidency, and recent developments have only reinforced our thinking. It does not appear that a Muslim-Muslim ticket will weigh significantly on Tinubu’s electoral chances,” it said.

Following public outcry, the former Lagos state governor justified his choice of Shettima, saying it was not based on religion or to please one community or the other but to help him govern Nigeria effectively.

“I made this choice because I believe this is the man who can help me bring the best governance to all Nigerians, period, regardless of their religious affiliation or considerations of ethnicity or region,” he said.

But his decision has received wild reactions as many observers within and outside the APC have described the development as a threat to the fragile unity and peace of Nigeria.

Some leaders and critical stakeholders in APC have not hidden their misgivings over the Muslim-Muslim ticket and have accordingly withdrawn their support for the Tinubu-Shettima president bid. Babachir Lawal, a former secretary to the government of the federation and Tinubu’s ally, described the Muslim-Muslim ticket as dead on arrival, saying it would affect the presidential candidate’s chances at the 2023 polls.

Like the APC, PDP has been plagued by internal crisis since the presidential primary was concluded.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State, expressed dissatisfaction with the manner the primary was conducted.

The issue was aggravated when Wike, who was Atiku’s closest opponent in the primary, was snubbed by Atiku as the former vice-president picked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

The decision was contrary to the recommendation of Wike as running mate by the special PDP selection committee.

Wike has stated his demands for reconciliation, among which is the removal of the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu.

But Ayu has vowed not to resign his position, insisting that his mandate was for four years.

“Atiku has more cause to worry. Not only is Obi eating into the PDP’s South-eastern support base, but Governor Wike, who finished second in the primary, does not appear to be interested in endorsing him,” the EIU said.

The crisis rocking the PDP took a turn for the worse on Wednesday as Wike’s camp pulled out of the campaign council of Atiku.

The report said with the amendment of the Electoral Act to accommodate electronic transmission of result, the role of the establishment in influencing outcome of the presidential election would diminish significantly, leading to the most fairest and credible polls since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

The report added that despite the presence of three major political gladiators from the three major ethnic groups in the country in the presidential race, the amendment of the Electoral Act would bring less disputes about the presidential election result.

Last week, the outcome of an opinion poll by ANAP Foundation showed Obi holding a significant lead over both Tinubu and Atiku.

In the nationwide poll conducted this month, Obi stands at 21 percent while both Tinubu and Atiku are tied in second place with 13 percent each. Kwankwaso of the NNPP is at a distant fourth with only 3 percent.

By Godfrey George

14th September 2022

Nigerian-born American professor, Uju Anya, has said her life has been under threat since her Thursday tweet on the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Anya, who is a Professor of Second Language Acquisition, Department of Modern Languages, Carnegie Mellon University, United States of America, spoke exclusively to The PUNCH on Sunday afternoon.

Anya, on Thursday, at the news of the Queen’s ill health wrote, “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating.”

Although the tweet had since been deleted for violating ‘Twitter rules’, Anya confirmed to The PUNCH that her account had also been ‘logged off’ of the micro-blogging site for the same reason.

She accused Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, of inciting the public against her and putting her in harm’s way.

Bezos, rumoured to be a huge donator to the school Anya teaches, had quoted her post, saying, “This is someone supposedly working to make the world better? I don’t think so. Wow.”

Anya had replied Bezos, “May everyone you and your merciless greed have harmed in this world remember you as fondly as I remember my colonisers.”

In an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, Anya noted that some persons were impersonating her and had linked her to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, which, according to her, is false.

She said, “I feel like my life is in danger. I don’t feel safe anymore because of these lies being peddled around against me. I left Facebook four years ago. I don’t have a Facebook account. People are putting out fake statements, saying I am a member and financier of IPOB or Independent Biafra or any political candidate like that, and they are using a fake Facebook account that bears my name. It is a lie. There is nothing like that.

“Some online blogs have been peddling fake rumours about me. I have not issued any statement since Thursday. The PUNCH is the first and (will be) the only Nigerian medium I have spoken to.

“It is urgent that the world knows that these people are trying to put me in harm’s way. Nothing that anybody sees with my name on Facebook is true. I am not a member of IPOB.

“They are using me for political movements and messages that I do not align with, and they are seriously damaging me and my safety.

“This is going to be a huge problem for me. What if the Nigerian government considers me a terrorist and wants to arrest me? They are putting my life in danger.”

The Presidential candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the re-election bid of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, received a big boost on Tuesday following the endorsement of the Apex Igbo leadership a.k.a Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State led by the amiable President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the endorsement was declared at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretariat in Surulere, Lagos, where the critical Igbo stakeholders converged and made the declaration.

Top dignataries who attended the declaration included the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers in Lagos State, Eze Lawrence Nnamdi Eze, Ezendigbo Lagos State, Eze Christian Nwachukwu, top traditional rulers from various Local Government areas in the State, captains of Industry including market leaders, men and women across the Local Government areas in Lagos.

The President of Ohanaeze, Chief Aguene, explained that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum was inaugurated for the purpose of giving the Igbo in Lagos State direction politically because Ohanaeze is apolitical organization, which showcases Igbo culture and tradition in Lagos State.

Aguene, however, noted that Ndigbo have benefitted much from the Lagos State Government and have huge investments in the State therefore, it will be unwise not to support the Government of Lagos State since they have accommodated the Igbo especially Governor Sanwo-Olu and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over the years.

He said that it was not for him to declare the stand of the Igbo since he had formed the political wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State and directed the Chairman, Chief Chris Ekwilo, to speak on the decision of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the coming election in 2023.
At that point, Chief Ekwilo explained that it was the first time the Igbo were getting it right in Lagos State and stated that the Igbo in Lagos State will give both Asiwaju Tinubu and Gov Sanwo-Olu block votes in the coming election.

He explained that the Igbo had done it before and will do it in the coming election while asking the Lagos State Government to work with Ohanaeze through the political wing under his leadership.

Chief Ekwilo explained that the political actors that made up Igbo in APC have merged under the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum and they were ready to work and deliver block votes for the ruling party in Lagos State.

Eze Christian Nwachukwu also spoke in favour of the endorsement and commended the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Aguene, for creating the Political Forum.

He stressed the need to work as a team in order to deliver Lagos to the ruling party in the State and asked the Government to compliment the efforts of the Igbo in the State.

He advised the Igbo in Lagos State to ensure that they have their PVCs, which they will use to vote APC in Lagos State.

Eze Lawrence Eze also supported the decision and urged the leadership of the Lagos Ohanaeze Political Forum to reach out to the traditional rulers in the State to know the roles to play in supporting the Lagos State Government during the election.

The Deputy Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum, Chief Anselm Udoka, stated that the Igbo have gotten it right by creating the Political Forum and the appointment of Chief Ekwilo as Chairman. He noted that with the political actors in various Igbo political group in the State, namely United Coalition, Mandate, Vision and Southeast collapsing their structure into Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum, he is sure Ndigbo will get block votes for Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu.

Other speakers at the event included the founder of Igbo Vision, Chief Babatata Uche, Women Leader, Lady Africa, Secretary of Ohanaeze Political Forum, Chief Smart Onyia, Chief Solomon Chukwu and others, who equally spoke in favour of the decision taken by the Ohanaeze to support Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu in 2023.

According to reports released by Le Devoir, a French newspaper published and distributed in Canada, the singer won’t be performing at a Festival’s final closing ceremony slated for Sunday.

Popular Nigeria-born musician, Yemi Alade, and her music band have been denied Canadian visa over fears that she and her crew may not leave the country after their performance.

According to reports released by Le Devoir, a French newspaper published and distributed in Canada, the singer won’t be performing at a Festival’s final closing ceremony slated for Sunday.

The 33-year-old Afropop star is said to be one of the headliners of the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique.

Commenting on the development, Suzanne Rousseau, the festival co-founder, said the visa denial was due to financial reasons, and for fears that the group wouldn’t leave Canada.
“Finally, we got an answer saying the musicians were refused, saying they have to guarantee that they have enough financial means that will make them go back to their country,” she said.

With Yemi’s absence, Suzanne has stated that the singer would have to be replaced at the festival by Sampa The Great, a Zambian-born Australia-based singer.

jaxxy:
when u guys presented wike because of money. on a good day what qualities does wike have to be president of even governor?

sm1 who behaves and speaks like a tout.

Penguin2:
Hmmmm

I see the entire southern Nigeria uniting behind Peter Obi.

I see a disgruntled Tinubu and Amaechi aligning forces to deliver Obi.

I see an alliance between Labour Party and NNPP happening to birth an Obi/Kwankwaso ticket.

I see Wike working against PDP too.

ABUJA- LEADERS of thoughts, elder statesmen from four of the six geo-political zones of the country, under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF led by South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark have lampooned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for electing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its Presidential candidate, describing the action as brazing afront on the People of the South.

According to the Leaders, while reacting to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar on Saturday, it is said that the unity and peace of Nigeria means little or nothing to what they described as a segment of the nation’s political elite, adding that at the PDP special convention held on Saturday, 28th May 2022, certain candidates from the North were pressured, coerced, and even intimidated to step down for Atiku Abubakar, who eventually emerged as the flag bearer of PDP, in utter derision of the established principle of zoning and rotation of power between the north and south.

The SMBLF has reiterated its call on all politicians of Southern extraction to refuse the position of a running mate to any Northern Presidential candidate, saying that it would equally be viewed as subjugating their people to political slavery.

The leaders of the Middle- Belt, Ndi- Igbo( Ohaneaze, Afenifere, Pan Niger Delta condemned in very strong terms what happened at the Moshood Abiola Stadium that eventually led to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar.

A statement signed yesterday by Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw for PANDEF/South-South; Amb. Okey Emuchay for Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide/South East; Comrade Jare Ajayi for Afenifere/South West; Dr. Isuwa Dogo for Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and Hon. Ken Robinson as the Acting Coordinator SMBLF read, “the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has described the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party as a brazing affront on the people of Southern Nigeria by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“SMBLF recalls that following the release of the guidelines for the 2023 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Elders and Leaders of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, under the aegis of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum, made unequivocal proclamations on the need for the presidency to be devolved to Southern Nigeria in 2023, in respect of the time-honored practice of the rotation and zoning of high political offices between the North and the South by political parties as a way of strengthening national unity, peace, and harmony.

“SMBLF further recalls that several engagements were held with various stakeholders across the length and breadth of the country on the subject to foster understanding, mutual respect, and oneness. The 17 Southern Governors also in a declaration after their meeting in Asaba, Delta State, in May 2021, backed the rotation of the presidency to the South in 2023.

“Sadly, it appears the unity and peace of Nigeria means little or nothing to a segment of the nation’s political elite. This was evidenced in the PDP special convention, which was held on Saturday, 28th May 2022, where certain candidates from the North were pressured, coerced, and even intimidated to step down for former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who eventually emerged as the flag bearer of PDP, in utter derision of the established principle of zoning and rotation of power between the north and south.

“Undoubtedly, the singular motive is to perpetuate the hegemony of the North given that President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the North and of Fulani origin will be completing his full tenure of eight years by this time next year.

“SMBLF, therefore, totally REJECTS the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and calls on our people of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt as well as all true lovers of peace and unity NOT TO VOTE for him or any other Northerner in the 2023 Presidential election, in the interest of posterity.

“SMBLF further urges all aspirants for the office of President from Southern Nigeria to shun the conceited attitude of individualism and self-confidence, and work collectively to achieve the shared objectives.

“Again, SMBLF calls on all politicians of Southern extraction to refuse the position of a running mate to any Northern Presidential candidate, which will equally be viewed as subjugating their people to political slavery.”

shams040:
Toyota Correla 2007, Driven 299,999 miles. Canada used.

Only problems, rust on the right rear fender and airbag light is on.

fergie001:
Not Surprising.