Politics

Benue: Rev. Fr. Gov-elect Breaks Silence After Guber Victory, Promises New Dawn

Published

1 year ago

March 21, 2023

Editor

The Governor- elect of Benue state, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described his victory in the Saturday’s gubernatorial election as remarkable and historic.

The Catholic Priest, in his victory speech at his Makurdi residence, shortly after being declared winner of the polls Monday by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, acknowledged the enormous support he got from the people to emerge victorious promising to meet the expectations of the people.

He said, “The long and anxious wait for the results to be officially declared is over; we can now roll out the drums in celebration of this great victory.

“I recognize what an enormous privilege and honor it is to be trusted with the government of the State especially at this time and am deeply conscious of it. I would like to say that God does not call the qualified! He qualifies the called.

“I may not be the most qualified Benue son to lead the State at this time but the Good Lord who has called me will qualify me.

“Never in my life have I seen a people express their desires and wishes so passionately as I saw from you in this election.

“The volunteers who came together under various support groups; those who travelled to all nooks and crannies of our State to knock on doors; the poll watchers who stayed vigilant to ensure that our votes were counted; every one of you. You all are the true heroes of this victory, and your names will be written in gold in the annals of our State.

“It has been a remarkable and historic victory for our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). I am in no doubt at all about the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead and what this victory means in the face of these challenges.

“My dear people, this victory belongs to you. It belongs to all of you who thirst for the dividends of democracy. And by this victory, the liberation we have all yearned for is at hand.

“Change is coming to Benue State. I take this opportunity to appreciate the Leader of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state, Senator Dr George Akume, who has remained strong like the Rock of Gibraltar and guided us along the path to this happy moment.

“I appreciate the State Working Committee of the Party under the leadership of the ebullient Comrade Austin Agada, as well as the other organs and critical stakeholders of the Party for their resilience and resourcefulness.

“I doff my hat for the most hardworking and ingenious campaign team ever assembled in the political history of Benue State led by the Director General, Rev. Dr. Frederick Ikyaan. They represent the building blocks to this victory.

“I am grateful for the friendship and support of my running mate, Barr. Sam Ode. He has worked so hard on the campaign trail, and I look forward to fruitful collaboration with him in Government House.

“I would like to congratulate my opponents from the other parties for making it an interesting contest. But the anxious period of politicking is over. Now is the time to unite and face the challenges of development.

“Our State, Benue, needs a total reset. Governance in our State has hit a historic low. This election is a mandate to reform and recalibrate governance in Benue.

“We need all hands, all good and ready hands, to be on deck. We need men and women whom the spoils of office cannot buy. We need all who believe that a new
Benue is possible.

“I believe there is an even greater obligation on me, in fact on us all, to tell the Benue people very clearly the difficult choices and challenges that we face and how we will work our way through them.

“We will clear the backlog of arrears of salaries, and pensions and gratuities, resettle our IDPs in their ancestral homes, address persistent insecurity challenges and set the stage for a prosperous Benue.

“We need to set the foundations for a strong economy. And on top of
that, we need to start building an economy of the future based on skills and talents and education and the application of technology; knowing that the forces of global competition and technology mean that we can only compete based on skills and talents. Let us unlock our wealth!

“My fellow citizens, a new Benue is possible, and I enjoin all of you to join hands with me to make it a reality.

“Let us begin by embracing a new way of thinking and action – by cultivating a new ethos that expresses the best of us, that brings forth our better angels and not our worst demons.

“The smallness of unending political recriminations and willful economic sabotage must give way to accommodation and the pursuit of loftierideals.

“There is a lot we can achieve through consensus and synergy. Our points of difference cannot be greater than the things that unite us.

“Let us resolve, walk and work together as one people united by a common destiny. We the people of Benue, through this victory, have taken a new step in a new direction.

“We have voted to realize the vision of our founding fathers, the vision of a peaceful and buoyant society where both indigene and settler, the rich and the not-so-rich will engage in the pursuit of happiness unhindered.

“We have voted to defeat the politics of backwardness, hate and division, in preference for a social contract that enhances our common brotherhood and adds value to lives.

“Let the word go out to the wretched of the earth in our hinterlands – the poor farmer in Sankera, the palm wine tapper in Otukpa, the petty trader at Abinsi, the rice farmer in Gwer-West, and the artisan in Gboko, that through this election, a new dawn has broken in Benue – a new dawn of equal opportunity and shared prosperity.

“And let the word go out to all the ends of the earth, that a people, through this election, have risen from the ashes of deprivation and depression and are marching in lockstep towards their rightful place in the hall of greatness.

“As we get set to begin the arduous task of rebuilding our state, May the God of all Goodness, who has answered our cry for freedom today, fortify us with the strength and wisdom to succeed.”

Politics

Edo Guber: Court Reserves Judgement On Suit Challenging Akpata’s Nomination As LP Candidate

Published

40 seconds ago

June 11, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court presided over by Justice Babatunde Quadri in Benin City has reserved judgement to July 19, 2024, suit challenging the nomination of Barrister Olumide Akpata as Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate.

Imansuangbon had approached the Federal High court in Benin and Abuja and challenged the nomination of Barrister Olumide Akpata as the candidate of the party for the gubernatorial election slated for September 21st, 2024.

Imansuangbon is challenging the nomination of Akpata on the grounds that the LP did not follow the electoral guidelines in the primaries, and that he (Olumide) did not fill and sign the indemnity form among other grounds.

After two adjournments in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Benin, the case eventually came up for hearing Tuesday where written addresses from counsels of the plaintiff and defendants were adopted.

Lead counsel to the plaintiff, A. A. Malik (SAN), in his argument prayed the court to dismiss the submission of the counsel to Akpata on the ground that the 1st defendant (Akpata ) violated the electoral act and party’s constitution which he noted are critical elements of the electoral processes.

Malik who pointed out that the plaintiff has disclosed reasonable cause of action on the matter, urged the court to throw away the submission of the 1st defendant, declare and return the plaintiff as the winner or on the alternative void, nullify the primary election and order a fresh election.

He alleged that the conduct of the LP governorship primary was marred with over voting which, according to him, was in contrary to the party guidelines and constitution.

On his part, the counsel to the defendant and running mate to Olumide Akpata, Kadiri Asamah (SAN) submitted that the argument and submission of plaintiff was baseless, and can’t be litigated upon by the court.

He added that it was a pre-primary issues and as such be dismissed by the court.

Asamah, while adopting all the arguments contained in his written addresses, urged his Lordship to dismiss the written addresses of the plaintiff.

He added that it was an abuse of court processes.

Addressing newsmen after the court session, Imansuangbon, however, expressed confidence in the ability of the court to dispense justices in the matter, even as he reiterated his desire in his struggle to bring about a better Edo for all.

Politics

JUST IN: I’m Being Sidelined In My Constituency, Senator Kingibe Cries Out

Published

5 hours ago

June 11, 2024

Editor

Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory, has again cried out that she is being marginalised in the Senate Committee on issues concerning her constituency.

Kingibe made this known at the Plenary on Tuesday during the consideration of the 2024 N98.5bn Supplementary budget of the FCT.

Kingibe, coming under 10 and 11, stated that she is the highest elected person in the FCT, but she is, however, not carried along in the issues of the state.

Kindibe said, “Mr President, I am the highest elected person in the FCT with over four million people.

“I am not usually carried along in the issues that pertain to the FCT, especially the matters of budget.

“The FCT supplementary budget is presented today but I am not even aware of the whole procedure, I was not invited to any meeting where the budget was discussed.”

Kingibe was, however, interrupted by the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio, when he requested for her the motion.

Akpabio told her that the order she moved demanded that she present a motion and present it to the House.

The senators agreed that Kingibe would present the complaint in a motion tomorrow.

President Bola Tinubu had last week written to the Senate seeking a supplementary bill of N98.5bn for the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

The N98.5bn is in addition to the N1.2tn budget passed in March by the National Assembly.

Politics

INEC Vows Professionalism Ahead Of Edo, Ondo Gov Polls

Published

22 hours ago

June 10, 2024

Editor

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, underscored the importance of professionalism and competence among election personnel for the success of elections.

Yakubu conveyed this in an address honoring the former Director General of The Electoral Institute, the late Prof. Abubakar Momoh, in Abuja ahead of the Edo and Ondo off-cycle governorship elections scheduled for September 21 and November 16, 2024, respectively.

The focal point of this year’s lecture was “The 2024 off-cycle elections: Achieving professionalism among election personnel through effective training in preparation for Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.”

Yakubu, represented by the Chairman, of the Board of Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, highlighted the necessity for election personnel to be knowledgeable, skilled, and equipped to handle the complexities of the electoral process.

He stressed that effective training was crucial in fostering a high level of professionalism among election officials.

“The success of any election largely depends on the professionalism and competence of those responsible for conducting it.

“Therefore, this lecture which is organized in memory of the former Director General TEI, the Late Prof, Abubakar Momoh, could not have come at a better time, considering that the Edo and Ondo off-cycle governorship elections are around the corner, having been scheduled for September 21, 2024 and November 16, 2024 respectively.

“It is important that our personnel for these elections are knowledgeable, skilled, and well-equipped with relevant competencies to handle the complexities and challenges of the electoral process,” he said.

The INEC chairman noted that professionalism was essential for maintaining the integrity of the democratic process and ensuring voter confidence, which in turn affects voter participation and turnout.

Yakubu emphasised that voters should be treated with respect, and any unethical or corrupt practices by election officials would incur severe punishments.

He outlined key principles for election officials, including integrity, impartiality, transparency, professionalism, gender and disability sensitivity, and consideration for vulnerable groups.

The chairman stated, “Hence, a high sense of professionalism amongst election personnel engendered by effective training cannot be over-emphasised.

“The manner, in which they discharge their duties and responsibilities, affects the degree of confidence voters will have in the electoral process, which will impact their participation and turnout.

“To ensure the credibility and trustworthiness in our elections and build trust among the electorates, it is imperative that we prioritise the professional development of our election personnel.”

He added that to achieve these standards, INEC was committed to comprehensive and interactive training programs for its staff and trainers.

In his lecture, the Director of the Mac Arthur Foundation, Kole Shettima, revealed a comprehensive strategy to overhaul and improve various facets of the electoral process.

Central to Shettima’s vision was the integration of civic education into the training curriculum for election officials.

Emphasising the importance of understanding civic duties, democracy, and the history of elections, Shettima, who doubles as a member of the Board of the Electoral Institute stressed the need for election officials to embody integrity and accountability.

Shettima added that the revamped training would not only cover technical processes but also instil a deeper appreciation for the electoral process’s significance.

He said, “Revamp the curricula of training of election officials to include civic duties, the history of elections, democracy, integrity and accountability of election officials, the role of INEC, credible elections, among others, in addition to the technical processes and procedures.

“Physical screening should be conducted before ad-hoc staff are recruited and deployed. This will present a more robust check against the recruitment and deployment of unqualified persons. It is advised to recruit in partnership with institutions instead of recruiting as individuals.

“Ensure that recruited personnel possess the requisite educational qualifications. This will address challenges with a poor understanding of the electoral process and duties by ad-hoc staff.”

Security concerns were not overlooked, as the Director advocated for establishing direct links with security personnel and fostering collective responsibility among stakeholders to protect electoral materials and personnel.

In his remarks, the Director General of the Electoral Institute, Sa’ad Idris, attributed INEC’s successes in the 2023 General Elections and recent off-cycle governorship elections to substantial investments in the training and capacity enhancement of its personnel.

Idris stated that the effective training programmes have directly contributed to the high level of professionalism exhibited by election personnel.

“The successes achieved by the Commission in the recently conducted 2023 general elections and other off-cycle governorship elections both in 2023 and 2024 bear credence to the fact that the investment made by the commission towards enhancement of the capacities of its trainers is a step in the right direction,” he said.

Idris assured that the upcoming elections would reflect a high standard of professionalism, technical competence, and the ability to address various challenges effectively.

During the period of Continous Voter Registration which began on May 27, 2024, and ended on June 9, 2024, the exercise recorded significant progress, with over 120,458 new voters registered.