Politics

Gen. Abdulsalami’s Peace C’ttee Reveals How It Was Pressured To Ask INEC To Cancel 2023 Presidential Elections

Published

2 years ago

August 17, 2024

The National Peace Committee NPC on Friday revealed details of some behind-the-scenes maneuvers by partisans and other unnamed elements during the 2023 Presidential Election, disclosing how it came under immense pressure to get the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to either halt collation of the results or cancel the election.

The committee led by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar disclosed this on Friday in Abuja when it presented to the public its 106-page report of the 2023 General Elections titled, “Nigeria’s Pursuit of Electoral Compliance: National Peace Committee NPC 2023 General Elections Report”.

Before presenting the report to the public, the committee had earlier met with the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other management staff of the commission where it was briefed on the electoral umpire’s preparation for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.

Other members of the committee are Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe (Vice Chairman); Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (Convener); Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; business icons, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola; Vanguard Newspapers Publisher, Sam Amuka Pemu; Ameze Guobadia; Idayat Hassan; Dame Priscilla Kuye; Gen. Martin Luther Agwai; Mahmud Yayale Ahmed; Channels TV owner, John Momoh; Roseline Ukeje; and, Fr. Atta Barkindo, its Head of Secretariat.

Part of the report reads; “As the election day progressed, criticisms and counter criticisms became abundant. The NPC was already being faced with a flurry of phone calls and the need to call INEC to order. The Peace Committee was flooded with requests for intervention. Both the Chairman of the Committee, General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, the Convener, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and the Head of NPC Secretariat, Fr. Atta Barkindo, were inundated with calls, requests, and petitions demanding the intervention of the NPC.

“Some of the requests wanted the NPC to prevail on INEC to stop collating election results because there were gross violations and lack of compliance with the electoral act. Others demanded that the tenets of the Peace Accord signed were not adhered to and therefore the Committee should call for cancellation of the election entirely.

“The most significant call was related to the 25% threshold for Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory. Some of the analysts who reached out to the committee asked that the final election result should not be announced because the resumptive president-elect did not score the required 25% as stated in the electoral act. If anything, there should be a runoff.

“For example, the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy described the silence of National Peace Committee (NPC) as deafening in spite of the avalanche of election petitions and likely far-reaching outcomes that could follow the decisions.

“The Centre stated that the NPC led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) had prior to the 2023 elections engaged political leaders on the need for a peaceful and credible election. However, what was missing was a post- election formal statement of the NPC on the outcome of the election and the sort of intervention needed to prevent widespread violence.

“The biggest bone of contention was the significance of the 25% threshold for the FCT, the vacuum created by pre-election legal interpretation that was not given by INEC.

“Within the general context of the mandate of the Peace Committee, there were requests that demanded the Committee to go beyond its mandate and to interfere in an electoral process that only agencies empowered by law can do so.
“The interventions provided by the NPC is purely and squarely moral, particularly in a context that trust deficit is widespread, the culture of impunity and lack of compliance with laws. The mandate is founded on the need to promote peace, prevent widespread violence and encourage parties and candidates to uphold the rule of law.

“The NPC has no mandate to arrest violators of process or interfere with the constitutional duties of INEC. It is set up to provide moral intervention, defined by mediation and moral persuasion to ensure that there is peace. It is also expected to, on behalf of public interest, speak truth to power when things are going terribly wrong.

“After the presidential elections, the NPC has continued with its engagements with political parties, youth and women led groups, persons with disabilities, the security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders, including the Independent State-based Peace Architectures”.

“Most people are not aware that the NPC provides only a moral intervention, and it has no constitutional duty to arrest, punish or prosecute any citizen for any wrongdoing. Rather, the Committee has the moral obligation to encourage, persuade and appeal to political actors, community leaders and other stakeholders on the importance of peace. This limited awareness has forced some Nigerians to question the significance of engaging with the NPC if only what the committee brings to the table is moral persuasion. This is a challenge for the work of the Committee” report added.
VANGUARD

Politics

APC Senatorial Primaries: National Organising Secretary Clears Oden Ewa For Cross River Central, Others

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2026

Editor

Ahead of the ongoing scheduled All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Primaries holding across the country today, Oden Ewa and seven others have been cleared by the National Organising Secretary (NOS) of the party at the just concluded screening exercise, to contest the primaries.

This was made public by NOS after the screening exercise in the State.

Ewa, the immediate past Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, was cleared alongside the incumbent Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams, who is planning for third term.

The contest in Central Senatorial District is said to be a hot chase between Ewa and the incumbent, however, Ewa is believed to have an edge as he is seen as a fresh start with new ideas for the district.

He is popular among the party leaders and commands huge following within the party followers and the Senatorial district for his various contributions to the development of the district over the years.

His aspiration also enjoys the support of the teeming youths in the area with many youth groups in the district lining behind him. He is said to fit into the aspirational needs of the youths and others within the district who are calling for new and fresh representation.

Others cleared by NOS for the primaries include; Asuquo Ekpenyoung (South); Adans Cecilia Omoniya, Senator Jarigbe Agom, Dr Johna Onyi Agba, and Mary Ogoba Ekpere Eta (North).

Politics

APC Members In Ikole LG Condemn Attacks On Members During Reps Primary

Published

20 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Editor

….Seek safer venues for remaining primaries

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Òkè-Àkò Ekiti, Irele-Ekiti and Ijowa-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State have strongly condemned the violence, intimidation and attacks that characterised the House of Representatives Primary Election held in Ward 11, Ipao-Ekiti.

The APC members lamented that the exercise, which ought to have reflected the democratic ideals of the party, was unfortunately marred by violent attacks carried out by political thugs against party faithful perceived to be supporting a different aspirant from the one backed by the attackers.

Among those attacked were Hon. Samuel Adetiba and Mr. Ore Bamidele, the latter, who was beaten into a coma and is presently in critical condition at a private hospital in the locality where he is receiving medical attention.

Beyond the physical attacks on members, cmpaign banners belonging to the aspirant opposed by the attackers were also vandalised and destroyed during the incident.

The APC members expressed disappointment that the incident was orchestrated by one of the chairmanship candidates for the Among Local Community Development Authority (LCDA), in the presence of the APC leader in the Ekamefa area, Hon. Samuel Abejide, who did nothing to stop the attacks of the party faithful.

In addition to the physical assaults, properties belonging to APC members in Ipao-Ekiti were reportedly damaged, while elderly men and women from Òkè-Àkò Ekiti, Irele-Ekiti and Ijowa-Ekiti were allegedly molested, threatened and forcefully removed from voting queues simply for supporting aspirants of their choices.

Olaiya Ajibulu, who spoke on behalf of the affected party members expressed deep concern over what they described as a growing atmosphere of fear and political intolerance capable of undermining unity within the party and threatening the safety of members participating in future exercises.

Consequently, Ajibulu said that the affected APC members from the three communities appealed passionately to the leadership of the party in Ekiti State, as well as His Excellency, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, to urgently intervene in the matter.

They also requested that subsequent APC primary elections involving the three communities be moved away from Ipao-Ekiti to a neutral and safer venue where the lives and rights of party members could be adequately protected.

“Alternatively, we appeal that Òkè-Àkò Ekiti, Irele-Ekiti and Ijowa-Ekiti should be allowed to conduct their remaining primary elections at a separate venue where members can freely exercise their democratic rights without intimidation, harassment, or fear of violence.” Ajibulu reiterated.

The affected members also sympathised with all victims of the attacks and prayed for the speedy recovery of those currently receiving medical attention, particularly Mr. Ore Bamidele.

They reaffirmed their commitment to the ideals of democracy, peaceful coexistence and party unity, while urging all stakeholders to ensure that future political exercises are conducted in an atmosphere of peace, fairness and mutual respect.

News

Logistics Challenges Mars APC Reps Primaries In Abia

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2026

Editor

The House of Representatives primary elections of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Abia State has been rocked by logistics challenges and reports of intense lobbying.

The exercise, scheduled to commence on Saturday morning, is yet to start in any part of the state as at 3:00 pm.

A visit by DAILY POST to several wards where the primary elections were supposed to hold in Umuahia showed that no party official was on duty.

At Amuzukwu Secondary School, Umuwaya Amuzukwu, Methodist Primary School at Crowther Street, Umuahia North Local Government Headquarters, no official of the APC or the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, staff was seen.

Two female police officers who were deployed to provide security in Umuwaya Amuzukwu were left in confusion as they could not meet any APC official at the centre.

Source disclosed that some of the aspirants in various constituencies in Abia State refused the offer to step down before the primares, insisting that they be allowed to test their popularity in the exercise.

Meanwhile, two leaders of the City Boys Movement in Abia State, Chinedu Orji and Lucky Igbokwe, who are aspiring for the Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, have issued statements maintaining that they are firmly in the race.

Explaining the delay in the commencement of the APC primary election, Publicity Secretary of Abia State APC, Uche Aguoru, attributed the situation to logistics challenges.

Aguoru invited all House of Representatives aspirants and other party stakeholders to an “emergency mandatory meeting” to be held at APC new office by Saturday evening.