₦airaland Forum

President, Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), AbdurRasheed Hadiyyatullah, has said the same faith ticket that brought President Bola Tinubu to power in the last General Elections has not made any positive change in the lives of Nigerians.

Hadiyyatullah, in an interview with journalists, yesterday, on the sidelines of a national conference organised by the council, said despite the enormous support received by the President during the poll, Nigerians have not enjoyed dividends of democracy since he came to power.

The event had the theme, “Matters Arising from 2023 Election and Associated Socio-Economic Challenges.”Recall that Tinubu, who was the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), adopted the Muslim-Muslim ticket when he picked Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

Hadiyyatullah, who said the reason many Nigerians supported the same faith ticket was to see how it could engender development in the country, maintained that nothing has been achieved for the past seven months.

He said: “Nigeria today is too bad. What we were buying at N200 before is N2000 now. We have scarcity of naira and unemployment is escalating. Nigerians are not enjoying the new government. I don’t want to go personal but the Sharia council helped the Muslim-Muslim ticket to be successful. We campaigned and supported this government until it came to being, but we are suffering.

“We are not making any progress. The reason for the Muslim-Muslim ticket was to progress, triumph, succeed and to have a good government, but we didn’t have anything.”

The cleric advised ministers, who are not ready to work for the good of the nation to resign and allow honest Nigerians take their place.

BUT in his remarks, former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani Yerima, urged Nigerians to support the present administration, saying last week’s Supreme Court judgment was a testament to the character of the President.

According to him, the President refused to interfere in the judgment because he is a democrat.Yerima said: “Mr. President has said that he is going to undertake a reform of the electoral system. He is going to present a bill on that to the National Assembly because it is the work of the National Assembly to review the happenings in elections from time to time. They are from various constituencies and they know what has transpired.

doctore212:
I need olosho. Although na 2k I get for all night

A new report released on Tuesday by a frontline pro-democracy think tank, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has said insecurity in the Northwest may impact on the performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections.

The organisation, however, noted that the secessionist agitations in the southeast could reduce turnout, which may not favour either the Labour Party flag bearer Peter Obi or People’s Democratic Party candidate Abubakar Atiku.

The organisation which made the observation in a report titled ‘Nigeria’s presidential polls: A SWOT Analysis’ released in Abuja on Tuesday warned that rising insecurity, misinformation, money politics, religion and ethnic narratives may undermine the credibility of the 2023 election.

The report signed by the CDD director, Idayat Hassan, disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, requires about 1.5 million election and security officials to successfully prosecute the elections.

The report said: ” With political campaigns looming in the coming weeks, key governance issues, such as insecurity would be a factor in the political calculations for the leading candidates as they traverse the country.

“The report noted in the northwest, the hot-button issue of security of lives and property would have an impact on the performance of the APC candidate, Tinubu.

“At the same time, the secessionist agitations in the southeast could reduce turnout, which may not favour either the Labour Party flag bearer Peter Obi or People’s Democratic Party candidate Abubakar Atiku”.


Noting that the 2023 general election is a significant logistical operation, CDD stressed that there will be significant logistic challenges in reaching the 176,846 polling units with election material.

The organisation noted that for such a far-reaching level of deployment to be successful, it would require the recruitment and training of close to 1.5 million poll and security officials.

This, the pro-democracy think tank pointed out requires the deployment of personnel, which number about four times the size of the entire Nigerian military.

It pointed out that the negative influence of religion, ethnicity and money politics could also undermine the credibility and acceptability of the elections, if not properly addressed.

According to the organisation, these divisive factors have already played a role in shaping the emergence of the four major party candidates running in the presidential election of next year.

Hassan, who rated the legal framework in place for the elections as robust and laudable, however, noted that the conduct of political actors would be critical if the benefits of such a framework were to be enjoyed across the board.

The report pointed out that the Electoral Act 2022 has elicited prospects that could redefine elections in Nigeria.

The report read: “Religion is likely to feature prominently in debates following the APC’s decision to contest the presidency with a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Renewed youth engagement in politics, a feature of the voter registration period, could also be transformative and favour Obi.

“Money will continue to play a huge role in determining who emerges the winner if the presidential primaries and recent gubernatorial elections offer any lesson. Finally, online campaigns will be more fiercely fought than ever, with attacks aimed at boosting candidates, attacking opponents and undermining INEC likely to be accentuated in social media in the run-up to, during and even after voting,” the report noted in part. CDD added that citizens’ access to electoral infrastructure would remain constant throughout the campaign and during the voting period, especially for those displaced internally by conflict.

“On the character and composition of INEC and the implications for the polls, the report recalls that INEC chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu, is the first Chair of the Election Management Body to be appointed for a second term in the country’s history.

The report observed the backlash generated by the replacement of 19 Resident Electoral Commissioners at the Commission, noting the perception that a number of the replacements are alleged to be partisan and lack integrity could impact the elections; however, CDD stressed that the 2022 Electoral Act may have introduced several changes that would continue to improve the credibility of elections.


It said that cases of the inconclusive election would be drastically reduced in 2023 as the new Electoral Act now defines overvoting in terms of accredited voters as against registered voters, adding that INEC would also be able to, according to the new act, review results signed under financial inducement or duress.

It notes: “Insecurity remains a critical issue, particularly in the northwest and southeast. Further challenging this operation are the prevailing structural, infrastructural, and cultural ecosystems in which the polls will take place.

“Prompt release of the entire INEC budget could help mitigate some of these. Finally, the role played by the security agencies, and subsequently by the judiciary, may be as crucial in determining the credibility of the election as that of the election management body.

“Nigeria is currently facing an epidemic of insecurity. The violence led by bandits, terrorists and secessionists has been recorded across its six geo-political zones, further dividing the country along ethnic, religious and political lines. Holding credible polls in this context that guarantees the security of voters and INEC personnel will be a major challenge. The ability of INEC to conduct continuous voter registration has already been questioned as insecurity has prevented the Commission from deploying to all wards across all electoral districts,” the report noted.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday passed a verdict that Nigeria’s democracy is gradually drifting towards dictatorship, insisting that all hands must be on deck to save the nation’s democracy.

Jonathan stated this at the 70th birthday celebration of Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, held at Sheraton Hotel in Abuja. Dignitaries present at the occasion include Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu; his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong and Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Others are Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha; former governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, among others.

Speaking on the theme of the event, ‘Nigeria’s Unfinished Greatness: Next Steps’, Jonathan urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and put all hands on deck to choose leaders that will take the nation to the Promised Land.

According to him, many Nigerians, especially the youth are becoming increasingly disillusioned about the nation’s politics and democracy. He, however, maintained that Nigeria must remain on the democratic path, noting that it is the only practical way of effectively managing “our diversity, developing sustainably and recording progress as a nation.”

He said: “The task before all of us is not to lower our guard, lest the democracy we cherish today, succumbs to threats and recedes into fascism tomorrow and there are signs already. Looking at the states and so on, we are derailing towards quasi fascist form of government but democracy is not only about winning elections alone, it is about accommodation. We as leaders at the centre and at the state level, especially at this time when elections are coming must accommodate different views.”
He charged the youths that have registered ahead of the 2023 elections to endeavour to walk their talk by making sure they come out to vote on election day.

The former Nigerian leader described Nigeria as a work in progress; adding that until that work is done, people like Bishop Kukah, who serve as the conscience of the nation, will continue to be around to constantly hold the mirror of the nation’s progression to its face.

Governor of Sokoto State, Tambuwal, described Kukah as man with undying love for country. Tambuwal, who chaired the occasion, reiterated the Catholic bishop’s unalterable belief in the possibility of a new Nigeria.

According to him, though Kukah’s critique of the country’s governance have been controversial, he (Kukah) believes Nigeria can and will come out of the woods of failed political leadership.

Represented by Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the Sokoto governor said: “His (Kukah’s) writings over the years have become controversial and have drawn the ire of powers that be, but what is not in doubt is his undying love for Nigeria and Nigerians, and his belief in the possibility of a new Nigeria where justice and equity reigns.
Fayemi, on his part, said leaders in the country must ensure inclusion and justice for peace and development.

He said: “Nation building is work in progress. Unity is also not automatic it is the work we put into nation building that will determine how far we go. The root to nation building is peace and the root to peace is justice and inclusion and that is something we have battled with over the last 62 years.

“In Nigeria, we tend to focus more on development but we can’t give what we don’t have. Development will only take place where we have a nation. And to have a nation, we must have that elite consensus and I don’t think we have achieved that elite consensus yet.”

Cizarr:
This one no too good for their citizens

oyatainer:
Ballondor is much more prestigious than Fifa Best. Some people are not even aware of when Fifa best will be done.
By History and precedents, Ballondor is more recognised even by the onlookers.

Any narration contrary to this is futile for what is valued is valued no matter the tantrums.

Popular socialite and businessman, Obinna Iyiegbu, aka Obi Cubana, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The Anambra-born tycoon who arrived the headquarters of the EFCC at Jabi Abuja at about noon on Monday November 1, 2021 is currently being interrogated by operatives of the Commission.

Though allegations against the socialite were sketchy as of press time, a source disclosed that his case borders on alleged money laundering and tax fraud.

Though many knew the name, Obi Cubana became a household name in Nigeria after the affluence that accompanied the burial of his mother earlier in the year.

When contacted, spokesman of the Commission, Wilson Uwujaren said he was yet to be briefed on the development

Maryam1234:
NOA staff at Bwari Area Council FCT says they were not informed that verification is today and no letter or mode of verification was communicated to them by NPOWA and hence no verification exercise.