Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has promised to continue with crude oil exploration in the North East.

Abubakar said this when he addressed a marmoth crowd of party supporters at a rally in Bauchi on Tuesday.

He said that crude exploration in North East would help to boost the economic fortunes of the sub region and the nation at large.

“The discovery of crude oil and the exploration between Bauchi and Gombe is a healthy development that will go a long way in revitalizing the fortunes of the Northest sub region of Nigeria,” he said.

“If elected as president our administration will continue with the exploration and drilling process for the benefit of the region and the country at large,” he added.

Employment Generation
Abubakar also promised to channel his energy toward youths empowerment by generating employment through vocational trades and Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs.

“This would provide a platform for our unemployed youth and women to become self-reliant,” he said.

Abubakar, who was visibly happy with the crowd appreciated the people especially the PDP supporters for coming out en masse to recieve him.

He urged the people to support Gov. Bala Mohammed and in his re-election bid to continue with his good work.

Also Speaking, Governor Mohammed assured Atiku of 100 per cent votes in the state.

He urged the electorate to give Abubakar all the needed support to win the presidential election.

Mohammmed described him as the best candidate with experience and capacity to take the country to the promised land.

NAN/N.O

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says naira re-design won’t affect the 2023 general election, as it will provide required cash and other supports needed for smooth conduct of the poll.

Prof. Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor, said this when he received Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his management team in Abuja on Tuesday.

Emefiele said that the CBN had always been supportive to INEC in whatever way possible to ensure that it delivered on its mandate of ensuring hitch-free elections.

“Before now, we have been involved in the storage of INEC election materials and this involved using our armoured bullion vans to transport election materials.

“We are happy that in the course of this relationship, we have not disappointed you and that is the reason you have come again this time.

“Now, just aside from the issue of storage of election materials together with transportation of election materials from CBN locations to your own specific or designated locations, I know that just a few months ago, I visited your office.

“You raised the issue of how foreign exchange can be procured to you to import Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other forms of election material that need to be imported and I gave you my word that foreign exchange will be provided for that purpose,” he said.

Emefiele added that CBN would provided all needed support to INEC to ensure credible general election.

“I stand here to confirm that as at today, all foreign exchange needed to import those items has been provided and those items have been imported. So, it’s all part of our commitment.

“Now this issue of paying logistics for people who are going to be transporting election materials to wards, certainly I give it to you that because we regarded the INEC project as an urgent national assignment, it cannot fail.

“The CBN will not allow itself either to be used or to be seen as an agent that frustrated positive outcome of the election.

“So I give you the commitment that if in this case, after making your electronic payment you require some money to pay transporters, in this case cash, I give to you is that we will make it available,” Emefiele said.

Hitch-Free Election
Earlier, Yakubu said that the visit was to seek for the CBN support toward a hitch-free 2023 general election, especially with the recent naira re-design policy which placed restrictions on cash withdrawal.

He said that Nigerian election was huge and complex undertaken that required engagement of critical services.

“In line with the provisions of extant laws and regulations, service providers are generally paid by means of electronic transfer to their accounts.

“However, there are equally critical areas such as transportation and human support services that have to be immediately remunerated either partially or in full before services are rendered.

“In addition, emergency situations may arise requiring immediate cash payments. Some of the critical service providers are unbanked

“Over the years, we have worked with the CBN and commercial banks to pay for such services seamlessly during general elections as well as off-cycle and bye-election,” he said.

Yakubu added:“Over the years, the Commission has also migrated all its accounts at National and State levels to the CBN and this arrangement has worked without encumbrances to our activities.

“In view of the recent policy involving the redesign of some denominations of our national currency, and the limits placed on cash withdrawals, we consider this meeting important in addressing some of the areas of concern with just 17 days to the 2023 General Election.

“We are confident that arising from this meeting, we can assuage the anxiety expressed by some of our service providers.”

He said that INEC was determined to make the 2023 General Election one of the best in Nigeria, adding however, that the commission can’t do it alone.

“That is why the commission is mobilising every critical national institution for the success of the election. This meeting is part of this.”

Yakubu also led the INEC management to a meeting with the National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno shortly after.

NAN/N.O

New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he will give women and youth strong voice and build their capacities to engage in climate smart economy if elected president.

Kwankwaso said this on Tuesday at the Presidential Town Hall Meeting on Climate Change and Environmental Concerns at the University of Abuja.

The theme of the event was “2023 General Elections and the Quest for a Greener Nigeria”. It was jointly organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Corporate Accountability and Popular Participation Africa (CAPPA) and We The People (WTP).

The NNPP presidential candidate, represented by the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Rufai Alkali, said he would strengthen communities by building resilient infrastructures.

“In our blueprint, we highlighted our vision for a sustainable, prosperous, equitable, and climate-resilient Nigeria. Our goal is to provide a pro-people and pro-nature framework for collective action and enhanced cooperation to address climate change issues.

“We will also improve livelihoods and well-being, promote adaptation capacity, and achieve low-emission, and sustainable economic growth,” Kwankwaso said.

Fossil Fuel
Also speaking, the African Action Congress (AAC) Presidential Candidate, Mr Omoyele Sowore, said he would jettison the use of fossil fuel if elected during the Feb. 25 presidential election.

Sowore said that his administration would ensure that those that caused tree felling, gas flaring, pollution that led to ozone layer and earth destruction would pay compensations.

Also, Mr Adebayo Adeoye, the Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said he would enforce Section 20 of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides for environmental protection as one of the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy.

According to Adeoye, this states that States shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air, forest and wild life of Nigeria.

He added that his administration would take action based on the environmental plans that were not contradictory to the socio-economic development of the country.

Environmental Crises
In his contribution, Mr Dumebi Kachikwu, the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said he would ensure that science and technology research were more funded to address climate change and environmental crises in the country.

He said that his administration would also embark on sensitisation campaign to educate Nigerians on the issues of climate change and environmental challenges in the country.

Mr Nnimmo Bassey, the Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said that the town hall meeting was convened to provide a platform for presidential candidates in the upcoming polls to discuss their plans and strategies for addressing critical environmental and climate challenges facing the country.

Bassey said that the 2023 general elections will provide Nigerians an opportunity to learn about the critical perception of the presidential candidates to the poly crisis that can be traced to changes in the environment, especially the climate.

NAN/N.O

The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Obi says he will improve the wellbeing of Nigerians if elected President in the forthcoming general election.

Mr. Obi made the promise at a book launch titled “Peter Obi: Many Voices, One Perspective” organised by a group of seasoned Media Professionals in Abuja Nigeria’s Capital.

Obi who was a former governor of Anambra State Southern Nigeria urged his supporters “to show more commitment as the election neared, “.

The Labour Party Presidential Candidate also noted that “the country’s future would be unpredictable if Nigerians missed the chance to choose a competent president in the next general election.”

He further called for more support “especially these final days to reach the end of this race.”

He reiterated that the 2023 General Election “is an existential election” and urged all electorates “to be involved.”

He added that “if we get it wrong, no body can tell what next. All I know is that I always wish Nigeria the best and I know you people do” and he charged electorates to be part of “a new Nigeria” Senator Yusuf Datti and himself are fighting for.

The group that launched the book was led by the first female Professor of Mass Communication in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna.”

The compendium featured published articles authored by some of the best in the pen profession, as well as opinions by other high-profile commentators.

N.O

Labour Party (LP) says it will introduce special interventions, not only in making sure that registered voters in the region get their PVCs ahead of the polls; but also in many other areas that would boost voter interest in the region.

The Head, Intervention Team of the Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Council of the Labour party, Dr Ifedi Okwenna disclosed this in Awka during a special meeting with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, led by its chairman, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu at the Godwin Ezeemo International Press Center, NUJ Secretariat.

Okwenna said Labour Party is mobilizing to ensure that there is no voter apathy in the Southeast as feared by many. He explained that the Labour Party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi is talented, and intelligent, with the best experience and team that will change all the key sectors of the country.

“We at the LP are making every necessary effort to achieve good results at the polls. This is because, it will be wrong for other Nigerians to be lending their support to Peter Obi, while the Southeast will be found wanting, by not voting massively for the LP presidential candidate.

“Nigerians need a president with capacity, character, compassion, and who has the willpower to turn things around for the better, and the answer is in Peter Obi. Obi is one person among his contemporaries that can help Nigerians take back their country, and move it forward.”

“Voting the presidential candidate of the party, Mr Peter Obi to power will help to rebuild a new Nigeria where peace and security of lives and properties will be guaranteed.

“Obi’s administration would also reposition the education sector in such a way that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will never dream of embarking on industrial action” Okwenna said.

Southeast yet to rule

The Coordinator, Diaspora Intervention for Obi/Datti presidential campaign council, Barr Franklin Nwakor, noted with regret that since the inception of the present democratic dispensation which started in 1999, the Southeast is yet to produce the number one citizen of the country; while other zones have taken their turns at different times.

“By May 2023, the North where Atiku and Kwankwaso are coming from shall have produced a president for about 10 years under Musa Yar’Adua and Mohammadu Buhari, as well as vice president for 6 years under Namadi Sambo.

“Southwest where Tinubu comes from has produced a president and vice for 16 years in the last 20 years; under Olusegun Obasanjo and Yemi Osinbajo. The South-South has equally produced a president for six years, and a vice president for two years within the same period, under Goodluck Jonathan.

The Southeast remains the only zone in Southern Nigeria yet to produce a president for this country in the present democratic dispensation and, of course, since the end of the civil war in 1970,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman NUJ Anambra, State Council, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu thanked Dr Ifedi Okwenna and his team for considering NUJ Anambra Council as one of the first place to visit in the Southeast and assured that their message of hope shall be well spread to ensure that voter apathy is curbed.

Emmanuel Ukoh