2011: INEC Moves Against 87 Rigging Techniques Politicians Use

Ahead of 2011 general elections, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega Tuesday in Lagos, said the commission has documented 87 ways politicians in the country rigged previous elections and has vowed to frustrate election manipulators in the forthcoming elections.

The commission also reiterated its readiness to prosecute electoral offenders during the elections.

Prof. Jega maintained that the resolve to depart from the past where electoral fraud was not punished shall be demonstrated during the compilation of new voters' register later in the year as INEC has concluded arrangement to ensure that anyone who perpetrated illegality during the registration exercise was appropriately sanctioned.

He made this known at a roundtable discussion on "The Importance and Sanctity of Votes in the Electoral Process in Nigeria" organised by the United States International Visitors Leadership Programme Alumni Association, Lagos, Nigeria.

The event held under the chairmanship of Senator Joy Emodi, while in attendance were Mr. Femi Falana, Vice Consul, US Consulate General, Lagos, Mr. Matthew Trumbull, director, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Is-haq Akintola, Rev George Ashiru, some aspirants, among others.

Speaking on "Electoral Process and New Expectations", Jega, represented by Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, disclosed that during the registration of voters, direct data capturing machines will be assigned to each polling unit across the country and multiple registration will not only be detected by also sanctioned.

"The truth remains that the main trajectories of rigging elections in Nigeria have been well documented and studied and can be effectively countered.

"Let me inform you that when the new commission was put in place, there was a retreat at Obudu. The commission’s report was studied by members of the commission and in the report there was indication that there are about 87 ways of rigging elections that were discovered and since that time INEC has been doing everything possible block those loopholes", Prof Jega said.

He added: "Most of these things (rigging methods) has been documented and we are looking at all these ways and are blocking those loopholes and I want to assure you that there are several things in the registration procedure that will make us detect those who carry machines to their homes. There is no way they can remove the time the registration was done because if you register at 9 a.m. the machine will record it that you registered at 9 a.m."

He added" "INEC will make the registration exercise credible and ensure that the lapses of the past were completely removed. For example, the new direct data capturing machines is a clear departure from other machines used in the last registration exercise because, this time around, there are certain things that will be done to make multiple registration difficult, and also, there are sanctions for registration offences apart from the fact that the personnel the will be used will not be party agents and that will ensure that we capture a lot of people.

"One other unique aspect of it is the deployment of one machine to each polling unit. This will remove the problems of the past where people were always having problems during election time locating their names in specific polling unit. Since it is one machine per polling unit, it will remove such problems and you go to where you were registered definitely you will find your name there", Jega said.

According to him, following controversies generated by 2007 voters’ register, "INEC sampled 100 polling units from 19 randomly selected state. The results were alarming and include, among others massive inadequacies, underage registrants, hundreds of blank or blurred photographs and multiple registrations by the same persons. There is therefore the need for fresh voters’ register".

In tackling the problem, he disclosed that the commission has "developed new registration software that is completely owned by INEC for the exercise which has been and is currently being vigorously tested. The significance of the new software is that it will tackle many of the lingering challenges that had questioned the credibility of voters’ register. The system will no doubt lead to improvement in accuracy and convenience with which the Register can be revised and updated"

The INEC chairman furthered assured that over 3060, 000 ad-hoc staff required for the registration exercise will be traceable just as payment to them shall be done through their bank accounts, saying that "INEC has established a working relationship with the NYSC directorate and the NUC with a view to engaging youth corpers and senior Federal university students as ad-hoc staff".

Chairman of the occasion, Senator Joy Emodi in her remarks narrated how she was allegedly robbed her victory at the poll through judicial process, saying the court allegedly declared someone who did not campaign in the election winner.

She however call on women to join politics insisting that politics is not a dirty game as some people were made to believe saying, "when you sit in the comfort of your home and say that politics is dirty, charlatans and corrupt people will go there and they will rule over you".

On his part, human rights crusader and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana in his keynote address at the event said: "Jega will not succeed until we deal with the culture of impunity in the country", adding that the role of the State Security Service and other security agencies in ensuring credible elections must be redefined.

According to him, "the sanctity of votes goes beyond INEC. Government officials, those of us who are privileged, ad-hoc staff of INEC and the media, have we come to the stage where we regard injustice to one as injustice to all? And until we get to that stage, we’re not going to get it right. And that is the problem of the sanctity of votes", Mr. Falana noted.

I Don't Want Paradise, There's More Fun Otherside, says Soyinka

 


Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has called on the Inspector-General of Police to revoke the regulation compelling Nigerians to produce Police reports before they could be treated in an emergency.

Just as he said he was not preparing to go to paradise, describing the other side (Hell) as full of more fun.

Addressing a rally to mark the fifth anniversary of the death of late the founding secretary of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) in Lagos, Mr Chima Ubani, Professor Soyinka argued that the law is anti-Human and irrelevant.

The rally took place at Allen Avenue Roundabout in Ikeja addressed the Theme: “Chima Ubani: Five Years After”.

It will recalled that Ubani, aged 42, died in a ghastly motor accident on September 21, 2005 on his way from Maidugiri after a mass rally organized by a coalition of organized Labour and Civil Society groups against increases in petroleum product prices.

Until his death, Ubani, was a leader of the pro-democracy movement in Nigeria and a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience and had since 2003, been the executive director of the country's Civil Liberties Organization.

Soyinka said the late Ubani could have been alive if the various hospitals he was taken to after the accident had treated him immediately rather they were insisting on Police reports.
According to him, “These rules when enforced in such situations makes our society ridiculous and it hurts that someone like Ubani willing to give his life for the nation would be rejected for treatment.”

The nobel laureate, however, assured that the fundamental issues that Ubani died for has not been relegated adding that “these profound issues ay have been temporarily overshadowed but they would be pursued to the latter.”

Speaking further, he urged Nigerians to gird their loins as the nation makes another giant moves in re- defining itself in the 2011 polls by voting and protecting their votes.

In his remarks, Human Rights Lawyer and convener of United Action for Democracy, UAD, Mr Bamidele Aturu said that time has come for all progressives and civil society groups in Nigeria to come together under one umbrella to fight to save the nation.

The legal luminary called on Nigerians to resist any attempt from any government to sell the nation’s public institutions adding that “it is wrong to sell institutions that would make life unbearable for the people.”

Besides, he criticized the toll currently being operated by the Lagos State Government on the Lekki expressway.

In her solidarity message, President of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr Joe Odumakin, said that the 2011 elections is the last opportunity Nigerians have to decide how they would be led.

She said “we must all struggle to ensure that we vote out those whose pedigrees have impacted negatively on the nation’s democracy.”

In her brief remarks, widow of the late Ubani, Ochuwa Ubani said that there is need for Nigerians to uphold the ideals and struggle for which Ubani died for.

According to her, “I was not an activist but with Chima’s death, y hear was challenged to become one because I realized that there is need to keep talking against the ills of society. My cry is not because Nigeria is backward. My cry is because many people have given up challenging the Leaders and those that made us backward.”

Comrades, you all know why we’re here today. It’s to remember a fighter who fell in the struggle. Now, there are many kinds of death; there are what are sometimes known as natural deaths, there are others which are definitely contrived, for which somebody should be held responsible. Among the direct deaths, you’ll remember all those who were assassinated on the roads, in their bedrooms during the reign of one of the most treacherous presidents we ever had in this nation. More assassinated on took place during those eight years than any time in our history.

But there have been other deaths also sometimes called force of nature; accidents and so on. I disagree with all those expressions. Some of those deaths bear a stigma; there is a stigma on those who are indirectly responsible and the rest of us.

Soyinka's words: 
I made it a point of duty of coming here today because I have a special message for the Inspector-General of Police. And that message came about for the simple reason that I have asked myself again, again and again: Why do people like Chima Ubani die? Who is really responsible for their deaths? We know he died on active duty.

Chima was a young comrade, very close also to the Beko Ransome-Kuti with whom who incidentally started this party of the people which will be launched on Saturday and have been in existence all along but will be launched formerly this Saturday at Airport Hotel, Ikeja. You all are invited. And Beko, very, very close Comrade and Chima were in fact to come to Benin for the inaugural meeting but Chima was sent on an errand which was far more important and that was why he was not at the inaugural meeting on that day. And it is symbolic that this party will be launched a few days after this memorial.

Now, back to my message, and the thrust of this message was a funeral that just happened just about a few days ago. The deceased worked not too far from here. And why did he die? A careless driver mould him down with about five other people. This individual will be with us today if the stupid anti-human regulations that govern the conduct of those who are supposed to protect our security., if those rules were not in force. Maybe Chima also would have been alive today if those rules were not being enforced.

And what happened was a good Samaritan, as the expression goes, picked up this man who was still breathing, injured, still savable and he went to, I repeat, eight hospitals; they went from one hospital to the other and these clinics will not admit this patient unless he had a police report.

Look, I don’t know in what kind of society this kind of barbarism is allowed to happen; that a patient, a seriously injured individual, a citizen like ourselves, like any of you, will be taken from one clinic to the other, bleeding, and rejected because there is a regulation, I’m not even aware that there is even a law; I think it’s just a regulation that you must bring a police report.

Well, I don’t know if you get to the gates of the Paradise you need police report but if you do, I hope it’s not from our policemen which is guarding the gates of Paradise because I know all of us here will be rejected. I mean, I’m not going there anyway; I have no intention of going there. It’s more fun on the other side. But for those of you that are going there, if the gates are guarded by the Nigeria Police, angel Gabriel or whoever will turn you back and say go and say go and bring police report.

So, it’s a ridiculous society, which we live in and one of thing is, we owe many, many things to memory.

And this one, which is a very simple one, ok, we can talk about protection of ballot, it requires mobilisation, we can talk about democratic mandate, imperativeness of democracy in this country, we can talk about renegades or reprobates who still want to come back and rule this country; that requires organisation, we can talk about the ridiculous document of enslavement called the Nigerian Constitution, and issues which Chima Ubani was one of the pillars of organisation.

You remember that on the PRONACO, of course, I remember Chima’s work; a number of times he travelled throughout the whole nation, fire fighting, mobilising, to ensure that there was maximum participation in the fashioning of an alternative draft constitution that genuinely emerge from the people.

On that kind of absurd and others that Ubani died and it really hurts me that somebody who is engaged on behalf of you and me, can suffer an accident be rejected treatment in eight, I repeat, eight hospitals. This event took place in the last few days.

So, one of the things we can remember and establish against the present norm and remember and honour Ubani for, is to call on the Inspector-General of Police and insist, not next week, not next month, not next year but even today, that this stupid, thoughtless kind of regulation be revoked because it is anti-human.

2011: Jonathan Must Resign, IBB Unfit to Rule at 70 – Action Group

Following President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declaration of his intention to contest 2011 presidential election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a pressure group, known as Action Group of Nigeria today expressed strong reservations about the entrance of both President Jonathan and General Ibrahim Babangida into the 2011 presidential race.


Speaking through its national coordinator, Chief Olawale Okunniyi in Abuja, the pro-democracy group said pundits opinion have shown that the ambition of both PDP leaders is being currently pushed against free and fair elections as well as the stability of Nigeria.


The group during its quarterly review of the march towards the 2011 elections warned that the entrance of both gladiators poses great threat to credible elections and the future of the country.


Okunniyi said Babangida though professing to have repented from his past errors may not have the strength and stamina at 70 to positively correct his past mistakes in view of the increased complexity of a big country like Nigeria and the current trend in the world


He said the former president may therefore end up at the mercy of a clique of his military acolytes, if he wins as his antecedence and inclinations to junta and high handed politics betrays.


He said given old wounds there is every likelihood that the Southwest and the progressives will revolt against his government to foist a tenure of unrest and instability on the country


AGN said though President Jonathan is constitutionally qualified to run he may also have started digging the grave of his promises to deliver free, fair and credible elections, if he, as the numero uno of a government that is expected to conduct the elections suddenly become a major participant in the same election.


The group however advised Jonathan to resign as president if he must run in order to guarantee free and fair elections in 2011.


“For the world and especially the pro zoning north to believe that president Jonathan wins on his own merit and not through the coercion of incumbency, he must first and foremost resign and put in place an interim administration of eminent Nigerians from the 6 geo political zones to manage the affairs of the country throughout the period of electioneering “


Where is the fairness if Goodluck Jonathan runs in an election he is conducting? The group retorted


The PRONACO Spokesman also hinted that the group in the interest of the hard won democracy will formally write Jonathan to resign before contesting the 2011 election to prevent ugly fall outs from a perceived uneven contest by the North.


AGN said in the light of the ethnic strife that have since characterised the 2011 elections it is supporting the convocation of the all politician summit to be convened next month Abuja by the 24 eminent leaders of thoughts.

Emergency Management: Stakeholders are not playing their role, NEMA DG

The acting Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Dr. Charles Agbo today at a media parley with news editors in Lagos decried the inability to stakeholders in emergency management to meet their statutory responsibility, noting that only 25 percent of 36 states of the federation and Federal capital Territory have established State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA to manage disasters in their localities.

He, therefore, enjoined the media to enlighten the states and local government on their statutory responsibility when disaster occur as well as in its prevention.

The Ag. DG said: “I’m asking the media to look at the mandate of NEMA, look at the Act that established NEMA and see what NEMA is supposed to do, what the federal government is supposed to do, what the states are supposed to do, what the local governments are supposed to do. NEMA’s duty specifically is to coordinate the response of other agencies. But how you coordinate the responses of other agencies? We can do that by collaborating with them, by cooperating with them and by partnering with them.

“And in the last three months, the level of cooperation between NEMA and our partners; the different stakeholders, has improved tremendously. And this what I want the media to review and see what they can do.

“Often times, when there problem, take the disaster in Ogun State for example, where is SEMA, where is LEMAC? The states are supposed to have their State Emergency Management Agencies that must address disasters in their localities. But often, when disaster occur in a state, they will come and say where is NEMA? NEMA is not a magician and NEMA cannot perform the statutory responsibilities of the states. And this is where the media come in. The media must continuously inform the public of the statutory responsibilities of the states because the states, every month, collect their ecological funds that should be used to address ecological problems in their states.”

Agbo in recognising the limitations and challenges facing some states in the area of emergency management, equally noted: “It is true that the states have challenges and that is why we are calling on our stakeholders to partner with us, to collaborate with us to ensure that when a disaster occurs, their response and intervention becomes efficient and effective by responding promptly.

“The parley this afternoon is first of all look at what we can do here and see how we can educate Nigerians; enlighten Nigerians, the states and local governments, of their responsibilities and where NEMA comes in.

It is not all disaster incidents that NEMA must intervene. For example, I think somewhere in Anambra, someone called that a market was gutted by fire and he wanted NEMA to intervene. When markets are gutted by fire, they ask NEMA for compensation.

“But we have been telling the states to ensure that they insure the goods in the market, the people in the markets, but each time a market is gutted by fire or a factory is gutted by fire, its NEMA (they call). These are issues that the press must be aware of and tell the world that NEMA doesn’t have the resources, and even our mandate doesn’t allow us to intervene in such situations.

“It is important that the media come in at some point to ask questions. Only about 25% of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, has what we call State Emergency Management Agency. Most of them are not even funded. Most of them are not even legislated. Most of them are not appendages to the states. So, when there is a problem in a state it is NEMA that the will call”, the DG said.

Utomi decries Edo Reps aspirant's killing

Presidential Candidate of African Democratic congress (ADC) in 207 polls, Prof. Pat Utomi decried the killing of House of Representatives aspirant in Edo State, Oghogho Omorogbe just few days after declaring his intention to vie for the position.

Prof Pat Utomi

He said on his facebook page: “My heart goes out to the young House of Representatives aspirant from Edo state who was assassinated a week after he declared his intention to seek the seat. May the soul of Oghogho Omorogbe rest in peace. Amen.”

According to him, “His death however shows us how everything is connected to everything. When members of the National Assembly legislate huge allowances for themselves running into several millions every month they make their positions so lucrative, especially in a country where most of us live in poverty.

“These huge allowances causes desperation in people who covet the position as a means of amassing wealth and are therefore willing to do anything to get to that seat including eliminating real and imagined rivals.”

Prof. Utomi recalled that when Rev. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah said Monday in Abuja that politics in Nigeria resembles criminal activities, “we should know that it does not just start during election years.”

He disclosed that “It starts when we allow our politicians arrogate to themselves wages, salaries and allowances that even the most hardworking executive in the Private Sector can not earn.

“It starts when we allow politicians to remove known hindrances to their looting spree such as when they removed Nuhu Ribadu who they knew would not sit idly by and allow them package an immoral allowance for themselves in the guise of constituency projects.

“It starts when we sit down idly and refuse to vote and protect our votes thus allowing legislators to emerge who have now become notorious for fighting in their hallowed halls and at public occasions. This must end but how will it end? It is up to you and I”, Utomi noted.

“These legislators are known to you and I and they face reelection. If you allow them return to the National Assembly the only message you are passing is that you agree with all they have been doing in your name. It is up to you. 2011 beckons!”, he declared.

Group shifts Enahoro at 87 birthday to Airport Hotel

The organisers of Chief Anthony Enahoro at at 87 has said the event has been shifted to the Banquet Hall of the Lagos Airport Hotel.

According to them, the new venue will host Governors Ibrahim Shekarau, Governor Tunde Fashola, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chief E K Clark, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Ambbassador Segun Olusola and other eminent statesmen and party leaders that will be tackling credible elections, zoning and national unity at the flag off of a series of Presidential Colloquium initiated by the Action Group of Nigeria.

Moving the venue from Coliseum to Airport Hotel, they said, became imperative as more leaders and groups signified intentions to participate at the strategic interface of the Nigerian stakeholders, which is first to commemorate the 87th Birthday of Elder statesman Anthony Enahoro Cfr on Thurs 22nd of July 2010, while subsequently reflecting on the state of Nigeria at 50 at a grand finale on October 1 2010.

The group's spokesman, Chief Olawale Okunniyi, said the series of national stakeholders’ colloquium is designed to scrutinize the state of Nigerian nationhood during golden jubilee of independence, while eliciting profound mind rubbing on issues key to the consolidation of the country's nascent democracy AGN reiterated that the Enahoro event will host one hundred and fifty (150) eminent national statesmen and political Stakeholders, and senior Editors/Scholars at the serialized national dialogue, patterned after the PRONACO National Conference, initiated to set formidable agenda for the success of Nigeria's 2011 elections.

The group however confirmed that the first national dialogue on credible elections and zoning shall be broadcast live by Nigerian television/radio stations as it is packaged to provide Nigerians with opportunity to assess their would- be leaders, who shall be given platform to present their agenda to the people, ahead of the 2011 elections.

2011: Diaspora Nigerians must vote, says Ndu, ARP national chairman

* President Goodluck Jonathan
Ahead of 2011 election, the African Renaissance Party (ARP) has said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, must ensure that Nigerians living abroad register and vote in the elections, even as the party insisted that lack of funds is not enough reason to deny citizen in diaspora their fundamental rights.

The National Chairman the party and its former presidential candidate, Alhaji Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu while declaring the position of his party on the matter in a statement earlier today maintained that the country cannot afford to ignore the issue of the voting rights of over 20 million Nigerians who reside and work abroad.

According to him, the population of the Nigerian Diaspora is about the entire population of a country like Ghana and therefore called on all well meaning patriots of Nigeria and international human rights groups to join the party in insisting that the Nigerian Diaspora must be registered by INEC and allowed to vote from their nations of domicile for the 2011 elections.

He stated: “As Nigeria gets ready for the 2011 general elections one question that has continually plagued the masses of Nigerian patriots and all who wish the nation well is the issue of the voting rights of over 20 million Nigerians who reside and work in the Diaspora.

“Throughout the history of Nigerian electoral processes the Nigerian Diaspora has constantly been denied voting rights, even though most other nations on earth with half Nigeria's population in the Diaspora have long ensured that their Diaspora are allowed to vote in their elections.”

Ndu added that: “There is absolutely no reason under the sun why the Nigerian Diaspora should not vote or be voted for in the forthcoming 2011 elections and any attempt to further disenfranchise them will be resisted and its consequences not be pleasant.

“The shame of it all is that the successive governments of Nigeria are always calling on the Nigerian Diaspora to invest in the economy of the nation .It appears that Nigeria needs their money but not their voice.”

For him, “Nigeria cannot claim lack of funds as hindrance to ensuring that the fundamental rights of Diaspora Nigerians are taken care of, not with the astronomical pays that the National Assembly members allot to themselves.

“In many aspects of human expertise, the Nigerian Diaspora is respected all over the world as being of the most intelligent and ingenious and hardworking. Certainly, Nigeria needs their brains as well as the brawn to develop.”

He noted that “almost 150 years ago after the US state of Wisconsin passed the first law enabling external or 'out -of-country' voting, enfranchising its soldiers fighting in the American Civil War, many democracies offer the option of external voting to their nationals living abroad.

“There is even a court judgment in the Hon. Oluwafolajimi Akeem Bello Vs. INEC [ suit No.FHC/ABJ/CS/370/2007] rendered by Justice Adamu Bello in which the Justice held inter alia 'I believe strongly that the plaintiffs have made a good case and the time is ripe for Nigeria to give its citizens abroad the opportunity to register and vote from abroad in any election in Nigeria without having to travel to Nigeria for that purpose'”

The party further noted that “in a world order characterized by increasing migration, external voting has become highly significant. How can people living outside their country of origin have their political rights assured?

"Though historically, external voting can be said to be quite a recent phenomenon even in long established democracies, But the exigencies and peculiarities of the Nigerian situation make it imperative that all citizens who are 18 and above and have the interest should to registered, should vote, and where necessary be voted for.

“Nigeria is in a political and economic state of emergency and all hands have to be on deck to save the ship of state. Besides, many of Nigerians in the Diaspora are residing and working in countries where there long lasting democracies and therefore have a lot to impute by way of experience in the Nigerian system.

“We call on all well meaning patriots of Nigeria to join us in insisting that the Nigerian Diaspora must be registered to, and allowed to vote from their nations of domicile for the 2011 elections.
We specifically also call on all registered political parties in Nigeria; on the Nigerian Bar Association; the Nigeria Medical Association; All non governmental organizations in Nigeria; all town union, on all whose relatives reside outside Nigeria, on all Religious and Traditional leaders; to join hands to demand for the democratic right of the Nigerian Diaspora”, the party noted.

The party further noted that the Diaspora "in the following countries vote in Legislative elections: Angola,Australia,Azerbaijan,Bangladesh,Belgium,Botswana,Czeck Republic, Fiji, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guines-Bissau,Guyana,India,Iraq, Japan, Jersey, Laos, Lesotho,Luxemburg,Marshall Islands,Nauru,Netherlands,Oman,Pitcairn Islands,South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe e.t.c.

"The Diaspora in the following countries vote in their Presidential elections:- Afghanistan, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Tunisia, Venezuela,[for presidential recall only]

The Statement further read: "In the following countries, their Diaspora vote in both Legislative elections and in Presidential elections: Argentina, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Croatia,Djibouti,Equatorial Guinea, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Israel, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua,Philippines,Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Singapore and Syria.

"The population of Nigerians in the Diaspora is more than the population of many countries. The Nigerian Diaspora is conservatively put at over 20 million. The population of Angola is about 15,940,000; Benin- 8,439,000;Botswana- 1,843,833;Burkina Faso 13,228,000; Burundi -7,548,000; Cameroun-17,795,000; Canary Islands-1,995,833; Cape Verde- 420,979; Central African Republic-4,216,666;had-10,146,000; Comoros- 798,000;Coted'Ivoire- 17,654,843;Djibouti-496,374;Equatorial Guinea-504,000;Eritrea-4,401,000; Gabon 1,384,000; Gambia-1,517,000; Guinea-9,402,000; Guinea Bissau-1,586,000;Lesotho-1,795,000; Liberia-3,283,000;libya-6,036,914;Madagascar-18,606,000;malawi-12,884,000;Mali-13,518,000;Mauritania-3,069,000; Mauritius-1,219,220; Namibia- 2,031,000;Niger-13,957,000;Republic of Congo-4,072,809; Rwanda-7,600,000; Senegal- 11,658,000;Sierra Leone-6,144,562;Togo-10,102,000;Zambia -14,668,000; Zimbabawe-13,010,000.

"I also call on affiliate organizations of the Nigerian Labor Congress such as: the
Agric and Allied employers Union of Nigeria [AAEUn]; Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees; Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria; Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria; National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives; National Union of Air transport Employees; National Union of Bankers, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees; National Union of Chemical , Footwear, Rubber, leather and Non-Metallic Employees; National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood workers; National Union of Electricity Employees; National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees; National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers; National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas [NUPENG]; National Union of Posts and Telecommunication Employees [NUPTE]; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; National Union of Shop and Distributive Employees; National Union
of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria; Nigeria Civil Service Union; Nigeria Union of Civil Service Secretariat Stenographic Workers; Nigerian Union of Journalists; Nigerian Union of Mine Workers [NUMW]; Nigeria Union of Pensioners; Nigeria Union of Railway men; Non-academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions; Radio, Television and Theatre Workers; Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria[SEWUN]; National Union of Road Transport Workers; Nigeria Union of Teachers; Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics; Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria; Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions[ASSBIFI]; Nigeria Welders Association; Nigeria National Filters Association; Metal Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria; Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities; Academic Staff Union of Universities.

"At this point in the history when all and sundry are demanding the compilation of a new voters register and when information technology has made it possible to bank online, for students to pay for examinations on line, for different agencies of government to conduct epayments and the like, there should be no reasons at all why the Nigerian Diaspora cannot register and vote online.

"For practical purposes, Nigerians in the Diaspora under the aegis of ANAC have structured a master plan to create Diasporas Voters Register in collaboration with INEC to be domiciled in the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC and London with terabytes of bandwidth for millions of concurrent access by Nigerians.

"This is similar to Facebook Data architecture which will allow Nigerians in the Diaspora to self register with pictures and thumbprint. The raw data gathered will be cross referenced with Immigration to filter out those qualified as Nigerians older than 18 years. The biometric data mining will ensure that even those with multiple passports will be denied multiple voting.

"The data repository is planned to be handed over to INEC for online voting using biometric for any Nigerian outside of Nigeria from Ghana, to China, USA, Europe, Malaysia or anywhere else. This will be the cleanest database of Nigerians ever to be placed under INEC in our embassies in DC as well as London .

"Finally, according to Uche Nworah ''The Migrations and Development Report from the International Development Select Committee {UK} estimates that over $300 Billion was sent from developed countries to developing countries in 2003 by diasporas living in the developed countries. Global remittances, the report maintains is growing faster than official development assistance from the developed countries.

"It is the second largest source so external funding for developing countries behind Foreign Direct Investment[FDI],and also accounts for as much as 27% of the GDP of some African countries. The report also says that global remittance accounts for 5% of GDP in Nigeria with a predicted increase in coming years. A US government official recently claimed that Nigerian Diasporas remit $12 Billion annually.

"Now, how fair , how logical is it to deny Nigerian diasporas of the fundamental human rights to vote and be voted for after making so much sacrifices to the development of their own fatherland?", the statement read.

Jega is new INEC boss

Professor Attahiru Jega has been officially named as new Chairman of the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His appointment was approved at today's meeting of the Council of State, a body largely composed of former Heads of State.

It was gathered that Jega's name and of all those nominated to fill vacant commissioner slots in the Commission will be sent to the National Assembly for ratification.

Jega (OFR) is Professor of Political Science at the Bayero University, Kano (BUK).He became the Vice Chancellor of the university in 2005. His tenure as Vice Chancellor is supposed to end in October this year.

As BUK’s helmsman, Jega, now on the other side of the divide, found himself in contention with his colleagues over similar issues over which he and other ASUU executives had confronted the Federal Government, about 18 years earlier.

But with the experience he had gathered as a former union leader, Jega skillfully doused the tension and peace reigned at the university. Jega has also been linked with fundamental changes that have occurred so far at BUK, although, critics still accused of him of being slow in taking decisions on some major issues.

Professor Attahiru Jega is an ideologically focused intellectual. He leans towards the left ideologically. To the liberal, he is a radical. He is one of the few "unrepentant optimist" that fought and believed that Nigeria will one day be freed from the shackles of the military; and that democracy will not only prevail but will become a way of life

US Commends FEHN over peace efforts in N-Delta

L-R: Barr. Allen, Captain Alphin, Sanders
at farewell dinner in honour of Schrader
in lagos Saturday night.

The United States Government has commended the efforts of the Foundation For Ethnic Harmony (FEHN) in ensuring enduring peace in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Robin Renee Sanders stated this weekend in Lagos, urging Nigerians to think of themselves first as a nation and not as a region or an ethnic group.

FEHN, which has been training of repentant militants on nonviolence, was commended for their dedication and commitment to peace in the Niger Delta region.

Also, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Timi Alaibe while recalling how he was accused at a security council meeting of training insurgents in the Niger Delta because of his effort towards ensuring peace in the region while on the saddle as the NDDC boss, insisting that the crisis in the region is not a security issue.

Both spoke at a farewell dinner held by FEHN in honour of departing Political/Economic Section Chief of the US Consulate, Lagos, Dr. Helena Schrader at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island.

In attendance were the Consulate General of the US Consulate, Ms. Donna Blair and other officials of the consulate as well as ex-militants Fara Dagogo and Eikabowei Victor Ben also known as General Boyloaf.

According to FEHN national chairman, Barrister Allen Onyema, over 10, 000 ex-militants leaders are to be trained while hundred of them are already in their Akodo, Lagos, training camp.

Those eager to undergo nonviolence training include Fara Dagogo and Victor Ben.

The US ambassador said: "I just want to say a few words about FEHN and recognise the people that are here. I want to say something to you people personally on behalf of the US government. I think that your commitment to amnesty and peace in the Niger Delta should be commended and I recognise you.

"Certainly, organisations like FEHN are so very important in an environment like this. And not only because of they promote ethnic harmony like their name says, really they are on ground and working day to day, committed, dedicated and visionary.

"I want to commend FEHN because it’s putting in place the positive elements that are part of nonviolence, thinking of about the future today, and nonviolence is part of becoming a nation.

"I think of myself first as an American and most Americans do. You have to think of yourself as a nation first, not as a region, not as ethnic group but asa nation first. And that is the only way to come together and move in the right direction.


"So, I really want to commend the leadership of FEHN for what it is doing, for its dedication, for the leaders that are here today", Sanders said.

On his part, Alaibe said:"I was summoned to the highest security council of Nigeria and I was told I was training insurgents, militants as we call them for the purpose of what I don’t know.

"And you can imagine being summoned to Abuja at a security meeting and you’re sitting right before Mr. President and they put there on the spot and accuse you of promoting violence in the Niger Delta by taking out boys as I was told that by the very fact of taking out them out of the camp to Lagos, you have caused the multiplication of camps.

"And people are setting up camps because of the concept of wanting to go to Lagos and South Africa for nonviolence training."

The former NDDC boss insisted that, "The security system is always making the mistake and continues to make the mistake that the Niger Delta problem is a security problem. And it is not".

Peoples Constitution: Pro-democracy activists regroup

By James Ezema

"we've been missing the road, we've not been self ruled, we've been dependent, we're not industrialised and there is no self sustained growth in the economy, and we don't have a constitution that allows free and fare elections"

In a bid to ensure that a people's Constitution is in place ahead of 2011 general election, pro-democracy activists have regrouped in Lagos under the aegis of the Platform for Peoples Constitution (PLACON).

At the unveiling the new coalition ahead of its planned mass action to ensure the replacement of the 1999 Constitution with a new constitution that can guarantee free and fair election as well as equal access to the country's resources, the group said that for Nigeria to work, there is no alternative to a true federal structure.

The PLACON coordinator, Dr. Baba Omojola, a renowned political economists and an activist said at a media presentation of the group held at the Centre For Constitutional Governance (CCG), Ilupeju the birth of organisation became necessary because Nigeria is currently at crossroads and does not know where it is heading.

Present at the event were some PRONACO chieftains and other human and socio-political rights activists, including the Executive Director of CCG, Dr. Adewale Balogun who is the secretary of the body.

According to Dr. Omojola the regrouping is because as a nation, "we have been missing the road. We've not been self-ruled, we are not industrialised and we don't have a constitution that allows for free and fair elections. And there is no equal access to resources in this country. 

"The position of our founding fathers was realistic; it might have lacked some comprehensive vital elements but agreeing to build a federal state was a right step”, the group said.

The body added: “We believe fervently that the constitution drafted in the country by PRONACO is a platform, it’s a good draft for what the people want in a new country”.

He advocated for federal restructuring, that would guarantee ethnic autonomy, free education and shelter, saying that with the PRONACO draft constitution, which divided the country into 18 regions is ideal for a new Nigeria “so that people will not be used to ferment political trouble and agonies in this country. And most important of all, the security services will be territorial-based so that one ethnic group does not oppress another one”.

On 2011 elections, the group said: “PLACON sees the controversy over whether not President Goodluck Jonathan can contest the 2011 presidential election or not as a distraction which is making a complex issue out of a simple matter. Since May 29, 1962 when the central government started to dilute the federal principle on which Nigeria’s independence struggle was fought and the intervention in 1966 of the military in the polity, the unitarian presidential system has proved to be a burden, a torment and an anguish on Nigerians”.

The group then dismissed May 29 as democracy day, saying that there is nothing historically significant about the day as it was on May 29, 1962 the central government declared state of emergency in western Nigeria and when the then highest court in the land, the Privy Council declared the action unconstitutional, the central government went ahead to reverse the judgment by retroactive act of the parliament.

The group also recall that it was on May 29, 1966 that the pogrom against Ndigbo started in Northern Nigeria, arguing that only October 1 should be declared a Public Holiday.