AustineE1:
Igbos this Igbos that....this APC-Tinubu induced tribalising of everything in Nigeria is getting out of hand.

Are you alright?

*Kwara Must Change caution igbo traders about weaponizing ethnicity in business*

_Says group solidarity can't erase individual tax liability_

A leading Pro-Democracy group, Kwara Must Change has cautioned igbo traders in ilorin, against weaponizing ethnicity in their dispute with state authorities over enforcement of tax laws in the state.

The group said that, turning dispute over tax liability into ethnic protest is the height of insensitivity by the igbo traders association and an attempt to blackmail the Kwara State government.

In a statement by the Convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group said that tax laws in Kwara State are enforced on all businesses in the state, not on the basis of tribe, sex or religion, but on the basis of business and volume of transactions and turning tax related dispute into ethnic protest is the height of insensitivity.

According to Hamzat, businesses making money in the state should pay their fair share of taxes, so that they can hold the government accountable to its responsibilities.

"All businesses in the state are benefiting from infrastructure and enabling environment provided by the state and it is improper to attempt to scandalize the state government through malacious ethnic protest, in an attempt to evade tax or shortchange government".

Hamzat explained that, tax underpayment amounts to shortchanging the government and by extension, the people of Kwara State and this will affect the pace of development in the state.

He admonished the traders to operate within the ambit of the state law to seek redress over any tax related dispute, rather than resort to unnecessary ethnic blackmail, saying group solidarity will not erase individual tax liabilities.

"Traders associations don't owe taxes, neither can they dictate tax liabilities of their members, individual businesses are taxed based on law and if the state authorities says certain businesses are owing taxes, those businesses should engage the authority inline with laid down rules and regulations, not create their own rule and attempt to coerce the authority into succumbing to their dictate through ethnic blackmail". He concluded.

End

IgbosCriminals:
Omo,

Even liquor?

This lady no get joy ooo.

Even Bible no say make we no drink alcohol at all.

Proverbs 23:20-21 (NIV)- Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

You can drink in your house in peace and in bear parlor na.

Showcasing drug abuse on media and in public places is a sure way to lead the Youths to ruin.

Selfish consumption cannot replace reason and responsibility

Paraman:
Dumb proposal. She can ask for the law in Kwara state.

Dumb post

Kwara Female Lawmaker Wants NDLEA Act Amended

A female and youngest member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Rukayyat Shittu, has urged the National Assembly to amend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) Act to include all other drugs and substances including liquor, in addition to tobacco as prohibited.

She also asked NASS to include the news and broadcast media as part of the public places where such illicit drugs and substances are prohibited.

Shittu, who represents Owode/ Onire constituency of Asa local government area is the chairperson, House Committee on Information, Youth, Sports and Tourism.

The lawmaker had sponsored a motion on the urgent need for safety regulations against content-promoting consumption of illicit drugs/substances in social media as well as the broadcast media on the floor of the state House of Assembly.

She noted that the abuse of drugs and other substances and associated crime have driven a considerable rise in the number of youths imprisoned in recent years.

“A report by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) in Nigeria indicates that 14.4% (14.3 million) of persons aged between 15 and 64years abuse drugs. Drug and substance abuse is prevalent across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones,” she said.

https://leadership.ng/kwara-female-lawmaker-wants-ndlea-act-amended/

No, he's just like you

How

*Former Presidential Candidate, Olawepo Hashim list 10 criminal gangs controlling fx market in Nigeria*

_urges FG to exclude commerical bankers from CBN_

A former presidential candidate, Mr Gbenga Olawepo Hashim has listed 10 criminal forces controlling the foreign exchange market in Nigeria .

The global business man, who is also a veteran civil right activist explained that, until the federal government takes control of the market, the naira will continue its free fall, because Nigeria's foreign exchange market is controlled by criminal gangs, who will continue to take advantage of every genuine policy.

While speaking to selected media men in Abuja over his statement on the continuous devaluation of naira, Mr Hashim, who is an Oil and Gas executive listed 10 criminal gangs controlling the market, while urging federal government to intervene in the situation.

According to him, there are criminal gangs controlling Nigeria's foreign exchange market.

"Those gangs include criminal minded bank executives, money launderers, illegal miners of minerals, those involved in oil bunkering, corrupt politicians with large volumes of questionable funds in their custody, unpatriotic business men, agents of commercial banks at the Central Bank of Nigeria, corrupt public officials, kidnappers and bandits, terrorist organizations " he said.

Mr Hashim also advised federal government to dump the free float of naira in exchange to other currencies.

According to him, it would be delusional to manage Nigeria's exchange regime with expectations that the market will correct itself.

"It is time for real central bankers to assume control of the central bank of Nigeria, rather than commercial bankers and even elements at the fringes of commercial banking who have hijacked the management of our monetary policies in the past 2 decades". He said.

[img][/img]

*Kwara Hotel: From 5-star to 5-star*
By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

In 1975, Lt Col David Bamigboye, the military Governor of Kwara State, established Kwara Hotel to be a 5-star Hotel. He also facilitated the establishment of the University of Ilorin, before the Saraki dynasty happened to Kwara and the culture of draining began.

Just like other establishments of value that went bankrupt under excessive draining of the Saraki dynasty, Kwara Hotel also suffered consistent draining without reinvestment, thereby leading to a collapse of standards and infrastructure.

However, in the year 2002 under the leadership of late Governor Muhammad Alabi Lawal, the Hotel experienced a facelift, when Omoladerin invested about N2 billion to reposition the hotel back to standard.

The N2 billion used to renovate Kwara Hotel about 22 years ago was over $15 million at the time and If we consider the value of $ 15 million today, that's over N20 billion.

This means that, if 2002 is 2024, we can simply say that Governor Alabi Lawal renovated the Kwara Hotel with a current value of over N20 billion, which is more than the N17.8 billion that the state government awarded the contract to upgrade it to 5 star, but we will get into that later.

After the renovation of Kwara Hotel in 2002, Saraki dynasty took over the mantle of leadership again for 16 years, where the culture of draining continued until 2019, when the Otoge political revolution came to the rescue and as of 2019, Kwara Hotel standard has been brought down to zero, with about 20% functionality.

Just like Governor Lawal, who values growth and development, the current government of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has made the commitment to upgrade the historic hotel back to its original 5-star standard, and a huge debate has ensured in the state of harmony over this decision.

While those who disagreed with the decision have a right to disagree, it is important to say that upgrading Kwara Hotel to a 5-star Hotel is not a new achievement, or something extraordinary, it is just returning the hotel to its original standard, a standard that leaders of the state almost 50 years ago achieved without much ado.

To start with, what is the average cost of a 100 rooms and above 5-star Hotel in Africa today?

According to an hospitality website, hotel and discount, a hotel with 115 rooms can cost an average of $22 million in 2020, which is over N30 billion.

According to data in 2021, the average cost of building a room at a 4-star hotel is $318,200, so a 100-room hotel will cost $31.82 million on average, which is over N40billion.

The average cost to construct a 100-room 5-star hotel is $604,200, implying that a five-star hotel costs $60 million (N80billion) to build.

If Kwara is upgrading the Hotel at the rate of N17.8 billion, that's like a price we can never get anywhere in the world, except if the proposal is not for a 5 star Hotel.

Actually, upgrading Kwara Hotel with N17.8 billion would make the hotel one of the cheapest 5-star Hotels in Africa.

To now imagine that we have people in the state, who think that returning to a standard we already attained almost 50 years earlier at a meager cost of N17.8 billion is an unreasonable dream, is to say the least, unfortunate.

Kwara Hotel was established as a 5-star Hotel to provide an enabling environment for trade, tourism, and international businesses.

It has a very large Parking space (you can even feel the warmth just from the parking area).

It is strategically located in the Administrative center of the state. It has good security, and very lovely rooms most of which are quite spacious and not as expensive as they seem.

The staff are very welcoming and courteous, they receive your luggage, wait for you to clear with the very warm receptionists and cashiers, and then carry your luggage and lead you to your well-prepared room.

It has Five (5) standard, very neat floors powered by an elevator and a rooftop that gives you a breathtaking view of the entire city.

The hotel has a fantastic restaurant, a gym, a lawn tennis court, a swimming pool, and other recreational facilities. It also has conference rooms, laundry service, and a lovely bar.

Music is sometimes played at the recreational center but this is just barely heard in the hotel and thus the serenity is maintained.

Kwara Hotel is just 3 km away from the International Airport and a 1-minute drive from Ilorin Golf Club. Its location away from the hustle and bustle of urban cities like Lagos and Abuja makes it a perfect abode for relaxation, retreats, vacations, and much more.

All 172 bedrooms of Kwara Hotels categorized into: Standard Single, Executive, Kwara Club Superior, Kwara Club Executive, Kwara Club Suite, Suite, Triple Suite, and Presidential Suite are fully equipped with satellite television, tea/coffee making facilities, private bathrooms, air conditioning, mini-bar fridges, and digital safes. The rooms are also furnished with soft furnishings, computers with full internet connections, and king-sized beds.

This was the standard of Kwara Hotel 48 years ago, which demonstrated the seriousness of the state as a major destination for business and tourism.

The government of Kwara, which is working towards making the state capital a smart city, with standard business facilities to contain the new status of the city along with several other supporting establishments such as the virtual art center, technology hub, ict center, garment factory, industrial processing zone, etc believes that the standardization of Kwara Hotel to its original form will provide the needed hospitality support needed to accommodate the influx of opportunities that would be attracted to the state and all people of wisdom in the state should support such development.

What we should advocate for, is a system that will sustain the development and not return to the culture of resource draining.

*Abdulrazaq Hamzat is the Convener of Kwara Must Change*

Kwara Hotel upgrade is cheap based on market value, students in tertiary institutions says

_Justify investment through mathematical equation_

A leading Pro-Democracy group, Kwara Must Change has shortlisted entries by 4 students in its mathematical competition to determine the bankability and justifiability of renovating Kwara Hotel and upgrading it to 5 star Hotel at the rate of N17.8billion.

The group had earlier announced Kwara Hotel Mathematical competition with a reward of N50,000 for correct entries, in an effort to get dispassionate and honest evaluation of investment by Kwara State government.

Kwara Must Change said that, analyzing governance issues cannot be left to politicians and few public personalities, who may be turning facts on its head based on their own interest and bias.

"This explains why it introduced the mathematical competition and numerous students from across the federation sent in entries" it said.

In multiple releases over the weekend on its social media page, Kwara Must Change shortlisted 4 entries with detailed solution to the mathematical equation.

Announcing the result, Kwara Must Change said, entry by the following students has been shortlisted for consideration in Kwara Hotel Mathematical Competition, namely Ibrahim Abdulazeez from Moddibo Adam University of Technology, Yola, Elijah Oyedele Ainiku from University of Ilorin, Ibrahim Qosim Olamide from University of Ilorin and Salaudeen Ayodeji Faruk from University of Ilorin.

Each of the students presented a detailed solution to the mathematical equation, using different methodology.

In the submission of Ibrahim Abdulazeez, a student of Surveying and GeoInformatics at the Moddibo Adam University of Technology Yola, he said that, based on evidence derived from solution to the equation, the negotiating ability of Kwara State government can be described as efficient.

According to him, Kwara State government is able to upgrade a 172 rooms Hotel to 5 star Hotel for N17.8billion, which appears to be more efficient use of funds compared to others who did smaller projects with more funds".

Another student, Elijah Oyedele Ainiku, a physics student from University of Ilorin also agrees with Ibrahim Abdulazeez in his submission.

He concluded that, the proposed cost of upgrading Kwara Hotel is cheap, when compared to other listed examples such as Akwa Ibom and Premier Hotel.

In another entry, a student from University of Ilorin, Ibrahim Qosim Olamide stated that, the calculation shows that the adjusted cost of upgrading Kwara Hotel is higher than the proposed cost and we can say that the proposed cost is relatively cheap.

Salaudeen Ayodeji Faruk, a student from University of Ilorin who adopted a different approach to the equation stated that, the cost per room of Kwara Hotel is cheaper, when compared to other hotels across the country and this means that the cost of the upgrade is very reasonable and worth it and it can be described as good investment.

Kwara Must Change itself is yet to make any official statement on the hotel upgrade.

End

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/01/29/kwara-hotel-upgrade-is-cheap-based-on-market-value-students-in-tertiary-institutions-say

12 facts about 5 star Hotels in Nigeria

Kwara State has committed itself to transforming its heritage hotel, Kwara Hotel into a five (5) star Hotel.

Here are 12 facts about five (5) star Hotels in Nigeria.

1. Five (5) star Hotel is a kind of hotel that provides to its client, timely and satisfactory services that exceeds even the highest expectations for comfort , decor and luxury.

Five (5) star hotels are properties that offer their guests the highest levels of luxury through personalized services, a vast range of amenities, and sophisticated accommodations.

2. You cannot establish a five (5) star Hotel unless you plan to establish a five (5) star Hotel.

Five (5) star Hotel has certain characters that must be deliberately planned before it can be achieved.

The funding is key, in addition to the planning. To be able to fund such hotel and plan its management to meet 5 star service delivery, it must be planned from the beginning.

3. If you do not plan to build a 5 star Hotel, you cannot build a 5 star Hotel. Huge funding and investment is required.

4. As at 2020, Nigeria has 12,000 standard hotel rooms and less than 5% of this figure is 5 star rated.

5. In all the 12,000 standard room hotels in Nigeria, only 1 in 20 that was projected to be 5 star in its conception achieved the aim.

6. Five (5) star is about everything, the high standard of offerings, luxury services, facilities and highly skilled manpower that are always available, timely and responsive in a satisfactory manner.

7. Although, Nigeria has the 2 highest number of planned standard hotel rooms in Africa (7,809) across 48 hotels, after Egypt, which led by 17,163 rooms across 54 hotels. In terms of 5 star offerings,South Africa leads by over 80 five-star hotels, with majority of them in Cape Town; Egypt follows with over 50 five-star hotels, especially in its Sharm el-Sheikh city, which ranks top among global cities with most five star-hotels, while Kenya leads the East African region with over 25, including safari resorts.

8. Hotel can start as 5 star, drop to 4 star, move back up to 5 star and so on, depending on the offerings.

Although, there are examples of 5 star Hotel in Nigeria that has moved to 4 star, such as Lagos Continental which lost its five-star rating when InterContinental brand left, hardly has any hotel moved from 4 star to 5 star.

9. Five (5) star offerings are for a target market that will always come after it.

A five (5) hotel is like a moon that brings illumination. It brings its own client.

10. Due to the limited five (5) star in Nigeria, it is recommended that, instead of building average hotels everywhere, investors can pull resources together to build a five-star for targeted clients.

11. Five (5) star hotel employees has highest level of politeness, attentiveness, discreet, and can anticipate guests’ needs.

12. Consistently flawless excellence is the expectation of a five (5) star Hotel. Five (5) star in services, five (5) star in amenities and five (5) star in comfort.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat

*Kwara Must Change calls for suspension of PermSec and Finance Director at Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs*

_Says there's something wrong with the ministry_

A leading Pro-Democracy group, Kwara Must Change has called for the suspension of Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The group said that, both officials needs to be suspended along with the minister for proper investigation to be conducted in the ministry.

While reacting to the suspension of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Betta Edu by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over allegations of corruption on its popular radio program, "Eto Wa" on Sobi FM on Friday, a guest on the program, Abdullateef Babafila said that the suspension of the minister without suspending the Permanent Secretary, who is the accounting officer of the ministry and the director of finance who prepared the document presented to Dr Betta Edu would amount to beating around the bush.

Babafila holds that, the minister is the last on the order of culpability, because the ministry has bureaucrats, who are trained professionals to handle administrative processes in the ministry and they are responsible for drafting the document presented to the minister.

"If there's any wrong doing, the minister alone cannot be held accountable alone because she couldn't have done the infraction alone, all those involved in the process must be held accountable, especially the permanent secretary and the director of finance.

Babafila also noted that, reports show that this is not the first time payments are being made into private accounts in the ministry and this was happening even before Betta Edu became minister.

"This shows that there's something fundamentally wrong with the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, whose 2 ministers are now under criminal investigation" Babafila said.

Others at the program include former Kwara State commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, Hon Ibrahim Akaje, Moyosore Yusuf, Kamaldeen Babasiga.

coputa:
past EFCC Chairmen were corrupt and we're found culpable.

They were using their office to enrich themself,they needed to be removed and prosecuted to serve as a deterant to others.

Stop this nonsensical argument.

Which court says they are corrupt?

*FG has discredited EFCC- Kwara Must Change*

_Says persistent removal of EFCC chairmen over unsubstantiated claims a disservice to Nigeria_

A leading Pro-Democracy group, Kwara Must Change has tackled Federal Government of Nigeria over persistent removal of chairmen of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since 2003 over unsubstantiated claims of corruption.

Kwara Must Change queried the FG over the weekend on its popular radio program, Eto Wa on Sobi FM in ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

While reacting to the subject of persistent removal of EFCC chairmen by successive government, including the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kwara Must Change guest, Kamaldeen Babasiga noted that all allegations against EFCC chairmen remain mere allegations without substance.

According to Kamaldeen, "No EFCC chairman has been prosecuted and found guilty of any crime since 2007 and their persistent removal by FG is eroding confidence in the anti graft institution and as a matter of fact, it is a disservice to the nation.

Kamaldeen noted that, it is a shame that no one single EFCC chairman is free from allegations by federal government since 2007 and the FG has not been able to come up with any justification to warrant its persistent removal of EFCC chairmen.

He explained that, FG can remove EFCC chairmen without accusing them of any crime, but when you continuously accuse head of your anti graft agency of graft without ensuring adequate prosecution, you subject the agency to public disrepute.

Another guest, Abdullateef Babafila corroborated the position of Kamaldeen.

Babafila maintained that, EFCC has some records of achievement, particularly in its successful prosecution of several high profile cases, including former Governors, but those achievements are discredited by successive govts, claiming that previous govt used the EFCC to prosecute and witch hunt their enemies.

"However, if EFCC under a govt succeeds in securing conviction, it means that it was able to present valid evidences before a court and allegations of witch hunting enemies can not arise" Babafila said, adding that, EFCC under other govt should also secure conviction against others, whether friends or enemies.

Another guest, Moyosore Yusuf concluded that, FG has discredited EFCC more than anyone else.

According to him, when EFCC was first established, every Nigerian understand that there's at least an organization that can hold anyone to account without fear or favor no matter how highly placed and the entire nation hold the agency to high esteem, but due to persistent allegation by federal government without substance, almost anyone, including internet fraudsters now find it convenient to question EFCC's credibility.

End

NNPC cabal and vested interest

Former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido accused NNPC of withholding and diverting Nigeria's oil revenue, running into billions of dollars during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and this got him sacked.

During Buhari's govt, former Petroleum Minister, Ibe Kachuckwu also accused NNPC of mismanaging Nigeria's oil revenue and this also got him sacked.

Now, NNPC is also being accused of the same allegations.

What exactly is wrong at NNPC and why are govt appointees who raised questions about issues at NNPC being sacked?

Is NNPC more bigger than Nigeria?

Who are the cabals and vested interest at NNPC that are wielding power in the country and coercing presidents to sack their ministers who raised critical questions on NNPC?

I agree

PeacePro Urges FG To Decentralise Policing Structure In Nigeria

A Peacebuilding think tank, Foundation for Peace Professionals also known as PeacePro has called on the federal government to immediately decentralize policing in Nigeria to curtail the spate of overwhelming violence that has consumed the centralized policing structure in the country.

PeacePro explained that, there’s nothing the current centralized policing structure can do to prevent the magnitude of organized violence in rural communities, adding that the federal government must now decentralize security or watch the country go up in flames.

“There’s no other options, we must decentralize policing or surrender to none state actors until we are eventually overwhelmed”

In a statement over the weekend in Ilorin, reacting to the unfortunate tragedy in Plateau State that has so far claimed over 200 lives, the executive director of PeacePro, Amb. Abdulrazaq Hamzat expressed reservation with federal government none proactive approach to issues of security in rural areas of the country.

According to Hamzat, we are sad with the development in Plateau State where organized local criminals descended on innocent people and reck havoc on them in the most dehumanizing manner, but this tragedy could have been avoided, if the federal government has been proactive with the issue of security in rural Nigeria.

Hamzat explained that, it is no longer news that there are too many ungoverned spaces in Nigeria, where organized and well sponsored none state actors operate as lords, and these spaces has become training grounds for all kinds of terrorists, mercenaries and bandits.

“The systematic organization, unhindered supply and availability of high grade fire arms as well as sustainable funding in the hands of these none state actors cannot be threatened by occasional federal security clearance, operations and patrol and this is well known to the federal government and all concerned stakeholders in the country “

Hamzat maintained that, only the decentralization of policing can address the challenge, but unfortunately, the federal government and all those with vested interest are unwilling to execute the generally acceptable solution to the security challenges in the country.

PeacePro therefore called on the federal government to do the needful by decentralizing policing, instead of issuing threats and condolences endlessly.

It also urges the National Assembly to lead the process of facilitating the decentralization of policing, saying only a decentralized security architecture can arrest insecurity in Nigeria.

It concluded by extending its condolences to the Plateau State Government and those affected by the tragic incident.

https://www.tvcnews.tv/2023/12/peacepro-urges-fg-to-decentralise-policing-structure-in-nigeria/

#PlateauKillings: Centralized policing will put Nigeria on flames, PeacePro tells FG

_Urges National Assembly to facilitate decentralization process_

A Peacebuilding think tank, Foundation for Peace Professionals also known as PeacePro has called on the federal government to immediately decentralize policing in Nigeria to curtail the spat of overwhelming violence that has consumed the centralized policing structure in the country.

PeacePro explained that, there's nothing the current centralized policing structure can do to prevent the magnitude of organized violence in rural communities, adding that the federal government must now decentralize security or watch the country go up in flames.

"There's no other options, we must decentralize policing or surrender to none state actors until we are eventually overwhelmed"

In a statement over the weekend in Ilorin, reacting to the unfortunate tragedy in Plateau State that has so far claimed over 200 lives, the executive director of PeacePro, Amb. Abdulrazaq Hamzat expressed reservation with federal government none proactive approach to issues of security in rural areas of the country.

According to Hamzat, we are sad with the development in Plateau State where organized local criminals descended on innocent people and reck havoc on them in the most dehumanizing manner, but this tragedy could have been avoided, if the federal government has been proactive with the issue of security in rural Nigeria.

Hamzat explained that, it is no longer news that there are too many ungoverned spaces in Nigeria, where organized and well sponsored none state actors operate as lords, and these spaces has become training grounds for all kinds of terrorists, mercenaries and bandits.

"The systematic organization, unhindered supply and availability of high grade fire arms as well as sustainable funding in the hands of these none state actors cannot be threatened by occasional federal security clearance, operations and patrol and this is well known to the federal government and all concerned stakeholders in the country "

Hamzat maintained that, only the decentralization of policing can address the challenge, but unfortunately, the federal government and all those with vested interest are unwilling to execute the generally acceptable solution to the security challenges in the country.

PeacePro therefore called on the federal government to do the needful by decentralizing policing, instead of issuing threats and condolences endlessly.

It also urges the National Assembly to lead the process of facilitating the decentralization of policing, saying only a decentralized security architecture can arrest insecurity in Nigeria.

It concluded by extending its condolences to the Plateau State Government and those affected by the tragic incident.

End
https://www.thebridgenewsng.com/2023/12/30/peacepro-calls-for-decentralization-of-policing-in-nigeria/

*Pre-Election litigation in Kwara State cost about N500million says Kwara Must Change*

A leading Pro-Democracy group, Kwara Must Change has expressed concerns over the huge cost of pre-election litigation and the implications on the electoral process and democratic growth in the country.

Kwara Must Change said that, while following the electoral processes in 2023, particular the pre election matters across all political parties in the state, the group observed that pre-election litigation in the state cost about N500million.

While reacting to the general outcome of 2023 election, especially the effect on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat explained that, pre-election litigation, either within same party, or across party line, some of which went as far as the supreme court were prosecuted at huge cost, which is mostly not factored into election cost in Nigeria.

According to Hamzat, several pre-election litigations arising from intra and inter party conflicts had significant impact on the general outcome of the 2023 election and are prosecuted at huge cost.

"INEC had explained that the commission was confronted with over 1000 pre election litigations ahead of 2023 election and this had significant effect on their planning and administrative processes, which ultimately affect the outcome of the election"

Hamzat maintained that, the unnecessary dragging of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into pre-election litigation issues has continued to hinder the commission from paying undivided attention to other more important issues of election management and planning, noting that the commission also incur so many unnecessary cost on litigations it has very little or no say at all.

Kwara Must Change hold the view that, political parties and their members should stop dragging INEC into intra party affairs, especially intra party affairs that ended up in court.

"Dragging INEC into so many unnecessary intra party litigations affect general improvement of our electoral processes, as the commission struggles with meeting its legal obligation, financial obligations and administrative obligations". He said.

Hamzat also said that, we must help the electoral body in its quest to improve our electoral experience.

"Dragging INEC into internal party affairs is over stretching the commission beyond its limit, which ultimately affects the general conduct of the election, he concluded.

End
https://www.tvcnews.tv/2023/12/group-raises-the-alarm-over-pre-election-litigation-in-kwara/

*Judiciary deserves sympathy and commendation Says Rukayat Shittu*

_As A'Court uphold her election victory_

JUDICIARY DESERVES SYMPATHY AND COMMENDATION

On Tuesday, 28th November 2023, the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory dismissed the case of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Magaji Abdullahi challenging my victory at the poll.

The election tribunal had earlier ordered a rerun in 5 polling units of the constituency, a decision that was challenged at the Appeal Court, leading to this final judgment in my favor at the upper court.

This judgment finally ends the political tussle and we can now fully concentrate on the business of representation.

I thank the Almighty Allah for this victory and I specially thank our people in Owode/Onire constituency, our elders and leaders, as well as the party for their unrivaled support during the process.

The support of my leaders in Owode/Onire constituency is beyond explanation and I cannot thank them enough for their sacrifices.

The unending support of the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and his beautiful wife, Her Excellency, Kwara State First Lady, Amb Dr. Olufolake Abdulrazaq is too numerous to mention. Your excellencies, thank you for nurturing me, being a father, mother, leader, mentor, and support system.

My appreciation goes to the 10th Kwara State House of Assembly ably led by Rt. Hon Danladi Salihu, I am so grateful for the support of all. Thank you Honorables

I also extend my gratitude to my legal team for a job well done. And to other key people who played an important role in the success of our sweet victories, Allah will not forsake you all. Thank you for standing through in prayers and efforts.

It is important to note that, this is the 5th case I was involved in since emerging as a candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress in June 2022.

In the pre-election matter, I went from the high court, appeal court, and the supreme court, and in the post-election matter, I have gone from the high court and now appeal court, giving me a first-hand experience of the level of stress and pressure we subject our judiciary to as a country.

While it is true that the judiciary needs to improve as being advocated by many, I must say that our judiciary deserves sympathy for the magnitude of the burden before them and commendation for the sacrifices they are making in discharging their duties.

Additionally, contrary to public perception, Nigeria's judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivers more judgments than most countries of the world. As a matter of fact, Nigeria's Supreme Court delivers more judgments than the US, UK, and France joined together annually.

I therefore want to urge the people of Nigeria to be kind, patient, and considerate of the Nigerian judiciary because the burden of work placed on them is too huge and they are human like every one of us, working under difficult conditions.

Finally, now that we are done with politics, I assure our people in Owode/Onire constituency that I will never take your support for granted and I will continue to do my best to bring the dividends of democracy to our constituency.

Hon. Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu
Member representing Owode/Onire State Constituency

https://www.legit.ng/politics/1566122-rukayat-motunrayo-shittu-pdp-loses-court-appeal-affirms-victory-kwara-apc-lawmaker/