Headline

Male, Female Rotational Presidency Will Bring Good Governance – Group

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2022

Editor

A gender-based organisation, 100 Women Lobby Group, has said that rotational presidency between male and female candidates would provide fair, equitable, and effective governance in Nigeria.

According to the a report in a research carried out by the group, only 20 per cent of politically active women in Nigeria are interested in contesting for offices, while only 26 per cent had contested.

The national coordinator of 100 Women Lobby Group, Felicia Onibon, said the report titled: ‘Status of women’s political participation in Nigeria: Improving electoral integrity and accountability in Nigeria project’, comprised a survey questionnaire administered to 1,201 women in rural and urban areas in four geo-political zones in Nigeria, with a specific section administered to women engaged in active politics.

Onibon said the findings drew attention to the gender bias and patriarchy that lies at the heart of why women are under-represented in government and the necessity for definitive action to support women’s political participation.

“Overall, respondents agree that the country will be better off if more women are elected into government positions. Ninety-eight per cent of respondents from the South-West and North-East ranked highest on this opinion followed by the North-Central and South-East with 95 and 92 per cent, respectively. There is really not much significant difference among zones.

“Overall, 40 per cent of respondents are of the opinion that rotation of presidential position between male and female candidates will provide a fair, equitable, and effective governance for Nigeria”, the research revealed.

Other key findings of the report obtained by The PUNCH included that “Only 20 per cent of politically active women were interested in running for office, while only 26 per cent had actually run. Only seven per cent of respondents got their electoral information from the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

It further noted, “While 83 per cent would donate to a woman’s political ambition, only 29 per cent had actually done so. Seventy-three per cent of respondents felt that the lack of encouragement from their communities was primarily responsible for low political participation.

“Analysis indicate that overall, 73 per cent of respondents are of the opinion that what holds women back from politics is ‘women don’t have encouragement and support from their families. The lowest reason adduced to this is that women don’t have educational qualifications for politics.”

Among others, the report recommended the development of national and local platforms to recruit young women who aspire to participate in politics, especially at the tertiary education level.

Headline

Iran President Had ‘Lot Of Blood On His Hands’ – White House

Published

3 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi had a “lot of blood on his hands”, the White House said on Monday despite Washington offering condolences after his death in a helicopter crash.

“This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, saying Raisi was responsible for “atrocious” rights abuses in Iran and had supported regional proxies including Hamas.

Kirby said, however, that “as in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life and offered official condolences as appropriate.”

Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Monday five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.

Headline

Iran Gets Interim President After Raisi’s Death

Published

12 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assigned vice president Mohammad Mokhber to assume interim duties after the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash a day earlier.

“In accordance with Article 131 of the constitution, Mokhber is in charge of leading the executive branch,” said Khamenei in a statement, adding that Mokhber will be required to work with the heads of legislative and judicial branches to prepare for presidential elections “within a maximum period of 50 days”.

Recall that President Raisi was confirmed dead on Monday after his helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country.

Raisi was travelling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who also died in the accident.

Rescue teams had been scouring the area since Sunday afternoon after a helicopter carrying Raisi, the foreign minister and other officials had gone missing.

Early Monday, relief workers located the missing helicopter, with state TV saying the president had died.

“The servant of Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has achieved the highest level of martyrdom whilst serving the people,” state television said Monday, with Mehr news agency also saying he was dead.

State television broadcast photos of Raisi, with the voice of a man reciting the Koran playing in the background.

Iran’s vice president for executive affairs Mohsen Mansouri posted on X a Koranic verse used to express condolences.

Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has announced a five days of mourning for President Raisi.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.

Headline

UK Threatens To Deport Physically-challenged Nigerian After 38 Years

Published

12 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The United Kingdom has threatened to deport a physically-challenged Nigerian man, Anthony Olubunmi George, over an alleged forged entry stamp in his passport.

George who has lived in the UK for 38 years, after he left Nigeria at the age of 24 in 1986, according to the Guardian UK.

The 61-year-old Nigerian has no criminal convictions and made several applications for leave to remain in the UK, which the Home Office has rejected, most recently on 7 May.

George’s case became the second African facing a huge disappointment with the UK Home Office after spending several years in Britain.

Vanguard reported last week that a 74-year-old Ghanaian Nelson Shardey, who has resided in the UK since 1977, was refused indefinite leave to remain despite being in the country for most of his adult life.

As the case of the Nigerian, he has never left the UK and has no criminal convictions, with the reports of having two strokes, which left him with problems with speech and mobility in 2019.

When George arrived, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister and Rishi Sunak is the ninth to hold office since George has lived in the UK.

He has endured many periods of homelessness and disclosed he has lost count of the number of friends who have given him shelter over the years, adding that he no longer has any close family in Nigeria.

The Guardian UK said in 2005, his previous solicitors submitted a forged entry stamp in his passport and have subsequently been reported to the police and the legal regulatory bodies.

George told the Guardian he knew nothing about the passport stamp until many years later. His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, cited his poor previous legal representation as the reason for George’s problems.

In his most recent refusal, Home Office officials said: “Unfortunately this is not something that is considered an exceptional circumstance.”

Kandiah has lodged an appeal against the latest refusal.

A previous Home Office rejection of his case states: “It’s open to your family and friends to visit you in Nigeria.”

George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry. All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”