ON Tuesday, during the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi challenged the state’s governor, Nyesom Wike, to an open duel.
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, told President Muhammadu Buhari that 80 percent of all the politically successful citizens of Rivers State passed through him, including Wike, but that they have all betrayed him.
This time around, Amaechi vowed to “battle them to the last”. He then started singing traditional Igbo war songs calling on cowards not to hide their faces when warriors are holding a show of strength.
Already, there are reports that several persons were killed in a stampede that occurred during the APC rally though it is not clear yet what led to the stampede.
Here are Amaechi’s exact words during the campaign:
“Your Excellency, let me welcome you to Rivers State, and I welcome you to a state here whatever Wike wants on Saturday we will give him, free. We don’t want money from the federal. Whatever PDP wants in Rivers State, we are equal to the task. It’s as simple as that.
“You know it gets to a stage that a man must be a man. It gets to a stage a man cannot be any other thing but a man. Your Excellency, I’m not going to Abuja again. I’m here from today to the election day.
“You know for long I’ve not spoken like this, (but) today, we ill sing like the Igbo (people) would sing.”
The songs he sang translates roughly to the following: “It is time to show strength, let the coward not come close to where a show of strength is taking place”. “The warrior’s eyes are bloodshot”. As he sang, he displayed some war-like dance steps and the MC kept hailing him “Lion, Lion”.
“On Saturday, they should get ready,” Amaechi continued. “The support we want is that Mr President should just thank us when we finish. We are ready for them.”
Many have criticised Amaechi’s comments, saying such remarks could stir up violence, especially given that Rivers is a state that is already very polarised. Some even called for Amaechi to be arrested and prosecuted for contravening the Electoral Act.
Below is a clip of Amaechi’s war dance during the campaign rally:
Plz Chubuike Amaechi, Rivers state should not be set on fire. Election is not a battle.
How can Buhari be seated & Amaechi is making threats & boosting that Saturday will be a battle & not an election.
A Tweeter user, Chris Ayo Joseph, wrote: “This is the height of incitement and hate speech. Africa and the entire world shouldn’t sit and watch Amaechi and other greedy, selfish politicians set Nigeria on fire. Rivers State will be at peace.”
Checks by The ICIR show that Amaechi may have indeed run afoul of certain provisions of the Electoral Act 2015 as amended.
Section 95 (2) of the Electoral Act states: “Abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.”
Subsection (7a) of the same section 95 provides the punishment to meted out on anyone who violates the section of the Act. It reads: “A political party or person who contravenes any of the provision of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction – (a) in the case of an individual, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for the term of 12 months; and (b) in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N1,000,000 for any subsequent offence.
Similarly, section 96 of the Electoral Act also provides that no candidate, person or group of persons shall “directly or indirectly threaten any person with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person or any other person to support or refrain from supporting a political party or candidate”.
Recall that the Department of State Services (DSS) recently arrested the director of media and publicity of the PDP governorship campaign in Kaduna State, Ben Bako, on the allegation of inciting violence. Bako had allegedly urged the people to “deal with” anyone that betrays the party.
On Tuesday, the DSS released a statement signed by one A.I Kaya, saying that such statements, “if left unchecked, could lead to complete breakdown of law and order in this state and beyond”.
Meanwhile, the PDP national leadership has called on the International Criminal Court to list Amaechi for inciting violence.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said only God can punish corrupt members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Buhari made the comment on Friday while playing host to some support groups who visited him at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The president, who seeks a second term in office on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), accused the opposition party of looting and mismanaging the resources of the country while it held sway from 1999-2015.
He promised to fight those he can and leave the rest to God.
“Large scale abuse of trust, only God can give them punishment but those we can touch, we will get them prosecuted,” Buhari told his guests.
“We have said properties confiscated should be sold and the money put into the treasury and we will use,” he added.
He was silent on what the Almighty Being would do to PDP members perceived to be corrupt but has pitched their tents with the ruling party.
His party has promised to forgive treasury looters once they joined their fold.
Buhari’s fight against corruption has been described as one-sided by critics of his administration even though he has consistently denied the claim.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection.
The electoral body made this known in a statement signed by its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, on Friday. The statement was reproduced on its verified twitter handle.
INEC said the decision was taken in order not to disenfranchise Nigerians from exercising their constitutional right of electing their preferred leaders.
“The Collection of PVCs scheduled to end today Friday 8th February 2019 is hereby extended Nationwide to Monday 11th February 2019. This will include Saturday and Sunday,” the statement said.
“The collection of PVCs will now take place from 9am to 6pm daily.All State offices are hereby directed to review the procedure for the collection of PVCs and dedicate all the staff of the Local Government offices to the collection process.
“Staff are enjoined to be civil in attending to citizens and to escalate issues that they cannot immediately resolve to their superiors.
“The Commission wishes to reassure Nigerians that we will continue to take every necessary step to ensure that no registered voter is disenfranchised on account of non-collection of PVCs.
“Similarly, the Commission is taking urgent steps to address complaints of unavailability of the PVCs of some registered voters before the end the deadline for the collection.
“We wish to reiterate that after the deadline of Monday 11th February 2019, all uncollected PVCs will be recalled and deposited with the CBN for safe-keeping until after the General Elections when the collection of cards and the continuous registration of voters will resume,” it added.
Meanwhile, Bukola Saraki, Senate President has decribed the development as a great one urging Nigerians to go out and collect their PVC
“INEC has just announced that it will be extending the collection of #PVCs to Monday, February 11th. This is a great development. Now, more young Nigerians will be able to participate in the 2019 General Elections,” the top lawmaker tweeted on Friday.
Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, is doubting the resolve of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to fight corruption.
Mr Fayose, in doing so, have thrown questions at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the anti-graft agency meant to fight monetary crimes in the country.
The questions relates to alleged financial misconducts traced to Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) and former director general of National Intelligence (NIA) Agency,Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folashade.
While Mr Lawal was indicted and sacked for his involvement in the N220 million meant for welfare of Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) Oke was suspended over the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies at Ikoyi Tower in Lagos.
The action taken against the two former official who were dealt with in 2017 were the recommendation of a three man investigative panel headed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
Since their dismissal nothing has been heard of the case until recently when opposition members cited the two case as pointers that the fact that the incumbent government was fighting opposition rather than corruption.
On arraigning the ex-NIA chief, it was discovered that the former spy chief and his wife had already left the country, their whereabout is currently unknown.
A similar scenario had played out when a former finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, who voluntarily stepped down from her position left the country in what critics said was a move to avoid prosecution from alleged certificate forgery traced to her.
The former governor is asking why the anti-graft agency has refused to try the former SGF who is currently in the country.
“I have two questions for @officialEFCC, this govt said it was ready to try the former SGF, Babachir Lawal, are they waiting to aid him to travel abroad too?” Fayose asked while tweeting on Thursday.
“If they claimed Ex-NIA boss, Oke and his wife escaped abroad, has the former SGF escaped too?” he queried.
Last month, the EFCC filed 10 charges bordering on fraud allegations against the former SGF at an Abuja High Court with a date yet to be arrived at for commencement of trial.
Mr Lawal who is leading the re-election campaign team of the president in the North East is not the only questionable person seeking votes for Buhari. Orji Kalu, a former governor whose arrest was ordered by a court was seen campaigning alongside the president. The wanted former governor is leading the campaign train of the president in Abia State.
Meanwhile, the APC has promised to forgive those who looted the nation’s treasury should the join their fold.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has said once those who looted the nation’s treasury join its fold, all their sins will be forgiven.
The national chairman of the ruling party, Adams Oshiomhole, stated this on Thursday at the presidential campaign rally held in Benin, the Edo State capital.
Mr Oshiomhole made the comments while receiving decampees from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).
“I’m told that there are a lot of senior people from PDP who have decided to join forces with President Buhari to take the broom to sweep away PDP to continue to ensure that APC continues to preside over Nigeria,” he was quoted by TheCable to have said.
“It includes my own brother and friend Henry Duke, he is the former organising secretary of PDP. We also have former vice chairman PDP and leader of PDP Edo North, in fact, once you join APC, all your sins are forgiven,” the top APC official said.
Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to return President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.
Bukola Saraki, Senate President, has ordered personnel of the Nigeria Police laying seige at the residence of Senator Dino Melaye to leave the area immediately.
Mr Saraki gave the order in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) on Saturday.
Senator Melaye had raised alarm that his Abuja residence was under siege. The alarm comes days after he alleged that there are plans to abduct and inject him to death.
Truly as he alleged, Police Hilux Van littered streets leading to the Mississippi residence and forcefully gained entrance into the building.
Some basic amenities in the building has been disconnected in a bid to force out the lawmaker who have claimed he is not in the building. This police has doubted the claim and are not backing down from abducting Melaye.
The police has said the lawmaker is being wanted for allegedly committing homicide in July.
Condemning the invasion, the Senate President described the action as another instance of police being used to suppress the rights of the citizenry and silencing people with opposing views to the current administration.
The top lawmaker noted that a situation where the police invaded the home of a Nigerian lawmaker, interfered with the supply of electricity and water to the house, beat up and cuffed his domestic staff and disturbed the peace of his neighbours by claiming he allegedly committed an offence in July was “unacceptable.”
He said the timing of the invasion and the desperate attempt to arrest the Senator is suspicious as the man had raised an alarm a few days before his house was invaded that there was an attempt by the police to get hold of him and inflict injury on his person, an allegation that was denied by the police.
“The general belief now is that the Police action against Senator Melaye was aimed at keeping him out of circulation so that he would not participate in the general elections coming in February. The manner of invasion on his house is highly suspicious. This same man has been charged with sundry and needless allegations and he has attended the various court sessions. He is also a candidate in the coming elections and therefore have no reason to run away from the country,” Saraki said.
“He was also present in the Senate for plenary, committee meetings and oversight functions till the Senate went on recess on December 20, 2018. Though the police in their statement claim that there was a request to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) inviting Senator Melaye to report to the police, my enquiry from the CNA showed that he had no such letter.
“If there was an offence allegedly committed in July and the police waited till now, we do not see the urgency in the need to arrest him about six weeks to the election in which he is a candidate. He could have been invited to report to the police on Monday. This desperation to haul him in is beyond normal. This same IGP who refused to honour the invitation of the Senate for him to give information on the security situation in the country and rushed to the court to seek protection of his rights is now violating the rights of other people. In the same manner, a Senate resolution to the effect that his security personnel that were withdrawn should be reinstated has not been obeyed.
“It has not gone without notice that Senator Melaye is a member of the opposition. We cannot remember any member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) being treated in this manner. Even the one who allegedly led thugs to forcefully seize the mace while Senate was in session, in the full glare of television camera, is still roaming the streets free without prosecution.
“This method of digging out some old charges and allegations to arrest and incarcerate political opponents has presented this current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, as the most partisan head of the Nigerian Police ever in the history of this country. We have continued to call on the security agencies to steer clear of partisanship and be professional in their activities.
“This country is not a banana country. Nobody is saying the police should not do their work in the prevention of crime and enforcement of laws. However, a pattern of creating trumped up charges, implicating those who have contrary views to the administration and employing crude tactics under the pretext of enforcing laws is unacceptable to us. It is not because Senator Melaye is the victim this time around. This should not happen to any Nigerian.
“We are disturbed that the administration remains non-challant about this negative development by claiming that these excesses and anti-democratic activities of the police are proper and normal and that they do not want to interfere with the work of the law enforcement agents, but we all know these oppressive tactics of the police have something to do with the coming Polls.
“The Police cannot act outside the law of the land. They should not be infringing on the rights of people. They should not be oppressing the people and they should not be adopting extra-legal measures under the guise of enforcing law. They should vacate Senator Melaye’s house immediately, release the innocent domestic staff in his house who cannot be said to have committed any offence, stop the interference with utility services in his house and ensure that all their actions are within the ambit of the law”, the Senate President stated.
Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, has warned the South East region against trusting the All Progressive Congress (APC) in its bid to actualize the region’s bid to produce a president.
Mr Obasanjo gave the warning on Saturday at a stakeholders’ meeting at Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The geo-political zone predominantly Igbo has been promised a slot to produce the next leader of the nation if they vote en-masse for President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking a second term in office.
Officials of the APC has severally told the people of the region that the shortest route to Igbo presidency was to ensure Mr Buhari comes out victorious from the zone in next year’s presidential election.
But advising the Igbo nationality not to be cowed by the promise made to them by officials of the APC, Obasanjo said the ruling party cannot be trusted as they have no plans to hand over to the people of the zone.
“I urged you the Igbo not to allow anybody to relegate you to the background because you occupy a place of preeminence in this country,” Obasanjo advised.
“The Igbo must bury their differences and work together for the actualisation of the Atiku/Obi project in their best interest.
“It’s dangerous to take the APC government seriously,” Obasanjo stressed.
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP, had picked his running mate, Peter Obi, from the zone.
Mr Obi, a former Anambra governor, is widely known for his governance managerial skills when he held sway in the state.
The former Nigerian leader described messrs Obi and Abubakar as beacon of hope for the country.
“You and your presidential candidate have become the beacon of hope to all Nigerians who have had it so rough in the last four years,” Obasanjo said.
“You need to think out of the box to take this country out of the woods caused by incumbent clueless administrators.
“With your pedigree as a governor, I’m hopeful that things will work again in Nigeria under your leadership as vice president,” he added.
President Muhammadu Buhari deserves the whole votes from Katsina State, Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has said.
Mr Oshiomhole, a former Edo State governor said this was because Mr Buhari hails from the state and has performed excellently in office.
The APC official stated this on Saturday at the flag-off campaign for the re-election of Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina State, in Funtua area of the state.
“No one should stay at home during the election. The people of Katsina State should come out en masse and vote for President Buhari, he is from the state and has done well,” Oshiomhole said.
He said for the President to move the country to the next level, all hands must be on deck to ensure the ruling party produces majority members at both legislative chambers of the National Assembly.
While commending Masari for his achievements in the State, Oshiomhole urged the people to re-elect the governor as a span of four years was not enough to complete what he has started.
“Four years are not enough to provide education, water and others to the people.
“The governor needs another term to do more to people and move the state forward,” the APC chairman said.
In his remarks, governor Masari pledged to do more on education and other sectors if re-elected.
Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s President, intends to use a military operation code named ‘Operation Python Dance 3’ to rig the 2019 presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said.
Operation Python Dance is a military ‘show of strength‘ exercise the Nigerian Army used in silencing the growing influence of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East region of the country.
The first and second versions of the operation took place in the region between 2017 and 2018.
Announcing its planned third version on Friday, the military said the exercise would now be conducted nationwide and would commence from January 1, 2019 and last till February 28.
The presidential election is billed to take place on February 16.
The army said the military operation was needed to tackle already “observed upsurge” insecurity challenges anticipated before, during and after the 2019 general election.
But kicking against the timing of the exercise, the PDP alleged that Mr Buhari was plotting to use the planned nationwide military exercise to legitimise his administration’s alleged ploy of using the military to intimidate voters and rig next year’s presidential election.
“Our investigation shows that part of the plot is to use the military operation as a subterfuge to unleash heavy security presence to intimidate, harass and instil fear in voters in PDP strongholds across the country and pave the way for the allocation of fictitious votes to President Buhari and the APC,” the spokesman of the opposition party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement on Saturday.
“Further investigation revealed that agents of the Buhari Presidency are working in cohort with some compromised top officials of the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission to use soldiers to provide cover for diversion of electoral materials, as well as aid APC agents in their plan to unleash violence and disrupt the electoral process in areas where the PDP is winning.
“In spanning the military operation to February 28, 2019, the Buhari Presidency betrayed its anticipation of public rejection or violence, which can only come when a result that does not reflect the actual wish of the people is announced,” he said.
Ologbondiyan, who is also the Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, said Nigerians are eager for a new president, having lost confidence in Buhari, due to his alleged failures in governance.
“The PDP PCO, therefore, rejects this deliberate attempt by the Buhari Presidency to set our military on a collision course with Nigerians, bearing in mind the collateral damage that usually occurs whenever the civilian population clashes with military.
“Our nation is a democratic state and we are not in a state of emergency that requires the militarization of our electoral process.
“Our military, which is cherished by Nigerians, should, therefore, foreclose any attempt by the Buhari Presidency to use it to set our country on fire.”
Godswill Akpabio, Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West at the Senate, has advised state governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to surrender their respective states to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Akpabio gave the advise on Friday at the presidential campaign flag-off of the president in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State.
Mr Buhari who is seeking a second term in office is the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The lawmaker, a former governor of the state had governed the state on the platform of the PDP. He went to the Senate still on the ticket of the opposition party before he defected to the APC in August.
The former governor said the 2019 election is all about integrity which he said the president has. He also declared the state as the South-South capital of the ruling party.
“We thank the national leadership of our party for choosing Akwa-Ibom state to flag off the 2019 presidential campaign,” Akpabio said at the rally.
“Uyo is now the capital of APC in the south-south. We are taking over from southern Nigeria.
“The 2019 election is all about integrity versus others. Mr. President has the integrity to continue in office. He has completed many projects he met on ground, initiating new ones and that is why we are going to run the APC presidential election in this country on the basis of performance.
“Other states, like the PDP states that have done nothing should surrender even before the election. They should surrender before February,” the lawmaker advised.
During his defection in August, Akpabio had said during the 2015 election, his heart was yearning for the president even though he belonged to the then ruling PDP.
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister, has blasted Yemi Osinbajo, vice president, over the latter’s claim on corruption.
Mr Osinbajo had on Sunday said the problem with Nigeria is not about resources or planning, but the grand corruption in the past.
He stated this while fielding questions from a cross section of Nigerians in Germany.
“The greatest problem Nigeria has is one of grand corruption; that is the biggest problem we have; not the problem of planning or plans,” Osinbajo said in a statement signed by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, on Monday.
“Grand corruption is the reason why we are not moving as fast as we should in our country.
“Those who made away with the nation’s resources should be made to account for it.
Reacting, Fani-Kayode who shamed the vice president queried if Osinbajo understood the implication of his statement on the foreign scene.
“When our Vice President goes to a foreign country and tells them that “grand corruption” is Nigeria’s biggest problem does he understand the implications of what he is doing?
“You have been in power for almost 4 years and that is all you have to say about your people? Shame on you!”
The fight against graft has been perceived to be lopsided by some Nigerians.
While some allies and cronies of the administration accused of corruption have been invited and set free by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) others are moving around free without being questioned.
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated why he was absent at the signing of a peace accord for 2019 presidential candidates.
The former vice president popularly known as Atiku said his absence was because he was not formally invited.
“Following media enquiries as to the absence of HE @atiku from the signing of the Peace Pact, I wish to state that the PDP presidential candidate did not receive invitation to the event,” Paul Ibe, spokesman of the PDP candidate said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Findings by POLITICS TIMES showed Atiku is not the only presidential candidate that skipped the peace pact.
Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, (AAC); Obiageli Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, (ACPN); and Donald Duke, of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) were some of the presidential candidates whose presence were not felt at the event.
The ceremony organised by National Peace Committee for a peaceful conduct of the 2019 elections, had in attendance some diplomatic corps, international communities, religious and traditional rulers.
President Muhammadu Buhari also attended the ceremony.
Politics › QUESTION: Did Amaechi’s ‘war Songs’ Violate Electoral Act? It Appears So by sharpden(op): 5:50pm On Feb 13, 2019
