Mr Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), has promised to tackle insecurity, poverty, hunger and youth unemployment, if elected in the Feb. 25 presidential poll.

Obi, while addressing a large crowd of LP members on Thursday in Gusau at the presidential campaign rally also promised to open up the nation’s borders.

“I am appealing to Zamfara electorate to vote for me and all LP candidates at all levels in the coming general elections in order to make our plans for the country a reality.

“We shall put adequate security first in place, we are going to promote peace and stability in our communities.

“Various policies and programmes are on the way to promote the socio-economic well-being of our people with a view to addressing poverty at the grassroots,” Obi said.

In his remarks, the Vice-presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Baba-Ahmed urged Zamfara residents to vote for its candidates in the 2023 general elections.

Baba-Ahmed said LP had designed good blueprints for a better Nigeria, adding, ”we are ready to bring positive change in Nigeria, we are ready to serve the common man.

“If we are given the opportunity to form a government under the LP, we are going to form a new government.

“I am therefore appealing to you to vote for LP at all levels during the elections. I am giving you an assurance that you will not regret voting for us.

“We are going to initiate policies and programmes to ensure national development,” he vowed.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the rally, Alhaji Yahaya Yari said the rally had proved the presence of LP in Zamfara.

“Our presidential candidate, by God’s willing will win in Zamfara,” he added.

NAN/N.O

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) their safety during the 2023 General Election.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, gave the reassurance when he received the Director -General, the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.

Yakubu said that INEC placed great priority on the the comfort, safety and security of the NYSC members.

He noted that over the years INEC had continued to work with NYSC to improve the comfort of the corps members engaged in election duties.

Yakubu said that the commission had also been working with security agencies to ensure the security of corps members during election.

He gave the assurance that no NYSC members would be abandoned at polling unit after election as INEC was making contact with members of transport union to ensure that all corps members were safely returned to their base after the election.

Yakubu also said that INEC had already made arrangements with NYSC to train corps members in their camps across the country.

He explained that the INEC was already working on its schedule with NYSC for the training of the corps members across the country, saying that those in Enugu and Kano would be trained before leaving camps.

“We assure that we will continue to implement the terms of the MOU we signed with the NYSC,” he said.

Yakubu added that INEC would continue to work very closely with NYSC in the conduct of all election.

“The reality around the world is that no electoral management body conduct elections on the strength of its staff members. All electoral commissions engage ad hoc or temporary staff for election.

“But we are extremely fortunate in Nigeria to have this large poll of young, knowledgeable and patriotic Nigerians in all parts of the country, engaging in important national assignment that when election comes they support in the conduct of the elections in the country.

“I can’t see how the commission can conduct elections without the involvement of NYSC. It simply unimaginable that we can conduct elections without the NYSC,” he said.

Earlier, Ahmed said that the NYSC would strive hard to ensure that the terms of MoU between the two agencies were implemented to the letter.

He said that the NYSC was already sensitising corps members on the importance of participating in the election.

“You know there are a lot of fears. This will happen that will happen, but we try to be very clear to them. It is a duty and a responsibility for them to actually do their best and take the responsibility.

“Tomorrow they will be proud that they are part and puzzle of the growth and the development of democracy in this country,” he said.

Ahmed commended the INEC chairman for agreeing to improve the welfare of the corps members, saying that it would go a long way to motivate them.

He said that INECs constant reassurance of security for NYSC corps members had continued to give them confidence to participate in election.

“On our part we will continue to also sensitise them that they are actually secured and everything possible will be done to make sure that nothing happens to them in the course of their duties.”

On training of corps members in camps, he urged INEC to ensure that of Enugu and Kano States that were outstanding were done before they leave camps.

“Yes INEC has promised to train these corps members in the camp. That has been done.

“But I think there’s a problem in Kano and Enugu states, the training is yet to take place. Maybe something would be done to ensure that its take place,” he said.

NAN/N.O

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has appointed Mr Femi Olaniyi (Ferrari), as Acting Chairman in Lagos State.

The party disclosed this in a letter signed by its National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam and the National Secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye.

The letter titled “Letter of Appointment” stated that “Sequel to the resignation of Ms Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, the then Lagos State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, the National Working Committee of our great party has thoroughly considered the situation and has approved your appointment as the Lagos state Acting Chairman of the Party.

“This appointment is based on your wealth of experience and commitment to the party. You are therefore enjoined to put in all effort to ensure the success of the party in Lagos State, especially at this crucial time that the general election is at the corner.

“You are also mandated to report all your activities in the state to the Office of the National Chairman of the party at least once every week. Congratulations.”

A copy of the letter which was also addressed to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, introduced Olaniyi as the party’s acting chairman to the electoral body.

“We therefore, humbly urge you to accord him all necessary corporation and to urgently transmit this letter to the Lagos State Electoral Commission to enable him carry out his duties without hindrances,” it read in part.

Responding in a statement in Lagos, Olaniyi, who commended the SDP NWC, pledged to reposition the party to record good outing in the forthcoming elections.

He said that the mandate to reconstitute the structure of the party in the state was in top gear.

According to him, members of SDP in the state are intact and have not followed Adeyinka-led excos to any political party, “rather, they have remained resolute and resolved to win elections with/for the SDP in Lagos State.

“Affirmatively, all our party candidates under the SDP of Lagos State Chapter are in a better shape and also of a great advantage to win the respective positions they are contesting for on the platform of SDP.

“The support for all our candidates of Lagos State chapter under SDP is 100 per cent guaranteed, while the structure of our great party in Lagos State is well balanced and active as party.”

It would be recalled that Adeyinka had on Jan. 23 dumped SDP and led about 15 state executive committee members to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring support for the PDP Governorship Candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran.

Adeyinka said that the decision was based on personalities with the tickets of the PDP in the state.

N.O

The governing All Progressives Congress APC in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria has cautioned opposition parties in the state to eschew campaign of violence, saying that it would not be distracted by the antics of the opposition parties in its quest to win the forthcoming elections in the state.

The Director-General of the Divine Mandate Campaign Council, All Progressives Congress in the state, Chief Austin Umahi , who stated this in Abakaliki, said the party will not bulge to the distractions of the opposition to take to violence in the electioneering process.

Chief Umahi lamented the situation where the opposition elements have resorted to destruction of billboards and posters of the APC just to push the Party and Campaign Council to provocation.

He gave the assurance that despite provocation, the Divine Mandate Campaign Council would remain undaunted and operate in tune with global best practices.

“That has to stop, we are warning it must stop, otherwise they would be pushing us to the wall.

“We are working assiduously hard, we are convinced, we know and believe very well that God is the one who blesses the one who diligently works his way, we are convinced that there is no other party.

“We have decided to be mature and let them count themselves lucky that we have a God-fearing Governor, a man that believes that no contest is worth the spilling of blood.

“They are trying to provoke us into crises but we have said no, we can not do their bidding.”

The Campaign Council Director General expressed hope that the All Progressives Congress would cruise to victory at all levels during the general elections despite the antics of the opposition.

While remarking that the APC governorship candidate was massively chosen by the people for his vast experience in governance, Chief Umahi decried how the comments of the candidate in Ezza South was twisted by the opposition, insisting that Chief Nwifuru means well for the Ezza Nation.

“This young man advised the fathers, the Ezza Nation to please invest in this venture because there are dividends in the investment.

“People play politics with everything, and I want to say, he couldn’t have meant otherwise because he is a seasoned politician, you can not play with Ezza Nation in the political equation of Ebonyi State, you can not play with them but our joy, unspeakable joy is that these so called opposition, they are only on Facebook..”

He assured Ebonyi people that the APC and the governorship candidate has articulated the budding needs of citizens with a view to addressing them headlong on assumption of office in the month of May.

N.O

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Nigeria’s Electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to accept the nomination of candidates of the Labour Party, LP, in 24 States of the Federation ahead of the general election.

The Court ordered that the electoral body must accept the list of the candidates in those states either manually or through its electronic nomination portal.

Justice Inyang Ekwo in his judgments in different 24 suits brought before him by Labour Party held that INEC violated sections 31, 33 and 36 of the Electoral Act 2022 in rejecting the Labour Party’s candidates in the affected States on the ground of non functional of its nomination portal.

The 24 States affected by the Court order are Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Ekiti States.

Also affected are Katsina, Bayelsa, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Borno, Osun, Adamawa and Cross River States among others.

The Labour Party had last year November conducted substitution nomination for its candidates who withdrew from the 2023 general election in the affected states.

The withdrawals were communicated to INEC by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party along with notification of October 27 date to conduct substitution nomination primary elections.

However, at the point of uploading the fresh candidates names, INEC claimed that its nomination portal was faulty and declined to accept the candidates list manually promoting the 24 legal actions.

Justice Ekwo in the judgment said that “the evidence of the Labour Party through exchanged letters with INEC in the nomination issue was credible and proceeded to attach probative value to it.”

The Judge held that the consequences of non functional electronic nomination portal cannot be visited on the Labour Party.

The court agreed with the Labour Party that nomination and submission of candidates list cannot be rejected by INEC from any party untill 90 days to the general elections.

The Judge said that “the time the Labour Party sought to submit list of its candidates in the 24 States was more than 90 days to the 2023 general elections, hence, its within time allowed by law.”

Justice Ekwo held that INEC was bound to accept the Labour Party’s candidates list manually once its electronic nomination portal is faulty.

The Judge subsequently ordered INEC to open its website for the purpose of allowing the Labour Party to submit list of its candidates or accept same manually with immediate effect for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.

Mercy Chukwudiebere