With just 67 days to go in the countdown to the 2023 polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out the postponement of the general election on account of logistics challenges.
The commission said that instead it is prepared to organise the elections as planned.
Commissioner for Information and Voter Education of INEC, Festus Okoye, gave the commission's assurance yesterday when he featured on a Channels TV politics and current affairs programme, Politics Today.
INEC had fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 25, 2023, while governorship and state assembly elections will be held on March 11, 2023.
Responding to a question on concerns that the commission is likely to postpone the 2023 election just like it did in 2019, Okoye noted that INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has assured that the elections won't be shifted because of logistics issues.
He said the commission has the complement of all it needs to conduct the 2023 election, adding that they have not gone to complain to the National Assembly.
Okoye said, "We are committed to the conduct of free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections and we are working assiduously to make sure we give Nigerians the best election ever. And that is our commitment to the people of Nigeria and we are not going to fail."
On whether the president was correct when he said that it has given INEC all it needs for the 2023 polls, Okoye said, "We have not complained to the National Assembly that we are not prepared"
Asked about the 2019 experience when the commission was silent over funding issues, he said, "The chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, has promised the people of this country that under his watch no election will be postponed or rescheduled on account of logistics or logistics challenges and we are committed to that.
"As of today we have the full compliments of what we need to prosecute the elections."
He added that elections are a multi-stakeholder venture and shared responsibility, even as he said INEC will not fail in its own responsibility.
SERAP Demands Arrest Of Politicians Buying PVCs
Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct appropriate anti-corruption agencies to identify and arrest politicians who are allegedly buying permanent voter cards (PVCs) from poor Nigerians
SERAP also asked President Buhari to ensure that the politicians and their sponsors who are suspected to be involved in these grave electoral and human rights crimes are named and shamed, regardless of their political affiliations.
The civil society organisation, which made the call in an open letter dated December 17, 2022 and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, stated that if the illegal act is not checked it would completely compromise the legitimacy of representative government.
The organisation also maintained that buying of PVCs from poor Nigerians is a threat to fair and representative elections, as it amounts to vote buying, undue influence and improper electoral influence.
It further said the allegations that politicians and their sponsors are buying PVCs from poor Nigerians are grave violations of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, and the country's international anti-corruption and human rights obligations.
SERAP noted that the right to vote is central to the enjoyment of other basic human rights but the right will have little meaning if politicians and their sponsors continue to buy PVCs and get away with their crime against the Nigerian people.
The letter reads in part: "We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
"No body politic worthy of being called a democracy entrusts the selection of leaders to a process of auction or barter. Inducing poor Nigerians to sell their PVCs intrudes on their freedom to make up their own minds.
"The buying of PVCs from poor Nigerians and the resulting deprivation of the right to participation would completely compromise the legitimacy of representative government.
"Investigating, identifying, naming and shaming those suspected to be involved in these criminal acts of vote-buying and undue influence, and bringing them to justice would promote the people's right to vote, and public trust and confidence in the electoral process," its stated.
SERAP also pointed out that the Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, 'the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.' Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act prohibit electoral bribery and undue influence before, during and after any election.
The organisation also stressed that similarly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance guarantee the right to political participation, including the right to vote.
"These human rights treaties also require states parties including Nigeria to promote the establishment of the necessary conditions to foster citizen participation.
"Buying of PVCs is a variation of vote buying and undue influence. It would undermine the ability of INEC to effectively discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the Nigerian Constitution and paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.
"It would lead to disparate and discriminatory treatment of poor Nigerians, encourage poor governance, and weaken citizens' capacity to hold their 'elected officials' accountable for their actions."
APC, PDP Trade Words Over Candidate's Identity
Again, it was another round of backlash and lash-back for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ongoing campaign for the 2023 presidency.
In the ongoing credibility battle, PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, fired the first shot yesterday when he challenged his APC counterpart, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to come clean on his identity.
But Tinubu fired back, saying Atiku and his party are confused, and in utter disarray they are busy chasing shadow over his qualification.
In a statement signed by his special assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said Tinubu has refused to open himself up for scrutiny but has continued to evade debates, non-partisan town hall meetings and live interviews.
He further alleged that Tinubu's entire life and persona is based on falsehood and thus he cannot address these questions, hence his decision to continue to run all over the place.
Shaibu who stated that the controversies surrounding Tinubu did not begin today recalled that in 2007 a former head of the civil service of Lagos State, Abdulrafiu Babatunde Tinubu, one of the eldest members of the Tinubu family, published a book titled, "Onijumu Wura: The Tinubu Dynasty of Kakawa, Lagos (The Tree)"
Shaibu, who noted that Atiku's history has never been in doubt, said his father was Garba Abubakar, a Fulani trader and farmer while Atiku's mother was Aisha Kande.
He stated: "Atiku was named after his paternal grandfather Atiku Abdulqadir who hails from Wurno, Sokoto State and migrated to Kojoli village at Jada, Adamawa State. His maternal grandfather was Inuwa Dutse who migrated to Jada, Adamawa State from Dutse, Jigawa State.
"Where is Tinubu from? Who are his parents? Who was Tinubu's father? What was his name? What is Tinubu's full name? Is it Bolatito, Omobolanle, Abolaji, Bolarinwa?
"While it is not uncommon for leaders to use a short version of their names, most times, for the purpose of stylistic rendition, the full outlay of their names is nonetheless public knowledge.
"However, it is confounding that in the case of the APC presidential candidate, he is simply known as Bola Tinubu. No one knows the prefix or suffix to his 'Bola.'"
Shaibu further claimed that Tinubu also seems to have moved from infancy directly to university in the United States of America, hence his record as the only presidential candidate in the history of Nigeria not to include his primary and secondary school information on his INEC Form CF001.
"Earlier in 1999, while contesting for the governorship of Lagos State, he lied on oath that he attended St. Paul's School, Aroloya and Government College Ibadan but his credentials were soon challenged by the late legendary lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) even as it had been established that Tinubu had no classmates in primary or secondary school.
"Eager to avoid another embarrassing scrutiny, he has now decided to be silent about his primary and secondary education. Rather than tell the truth, his Campaign Spokesman, Festus Keyamo, shamelessly stated on Arise Television that Tinubu did not attend primary or secondary school and should thus be commended for beating the odds."
Shaibu said Nigerians need to know if the man seeking to become their president is known "as Adebola, Ajibola or, perhaps, it's just simply: Bola (lokan)?
But hitting back, Tinubu said the PDP and its presidential candidate were chasing shadow over his qualification.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by director, Media & Publicity, of the APC presidential campaign council, Bayo Onanuga, the former Lagos governor described PDP's allegations as "another attempt at shadow boxing.
Tinubu said Atiku and PDP are lashing on every straw available because they are seized with fear that the election is once again lost.
The statement noted: "Having failed to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians on its 16 years of infamous, criminal sabotage of our fatherland, in which Atiku as the overseer of the privatisation of our national assets programme, shortchanged our people, the PDP has just woken up to the reality that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu' s sure victory in the presidential election of 25 February, 2023 is inevitable.
"Hence this desperate resort to character assassination and innuendoes. If only the PDP would go back to its records, it would have realised that the same campaign of reckless calumny was its stock in trade in the governorship campaigns in Lagos State in 2003. It had also been a subject of investigation by the Lagos State House of Assembly.
"In the 2003 election, the masses in Lagos punished the PDP for its malicious campaign and rejected the party massively at the polling booths."
Onanuga said it is unfortunate that the PDP and its presidential candidate have chosen to revive a dead allegation, knowing that the 2023 presidency is again slipping away.
"Atiku, who once confessed he was the mastermind of the electoral assault by the PDP against the Alliance for Democracy in the 2003 election in the South West , is shamelessly back at his game, showing no contrition that the courts overturned the rigged victories," he noted.
The APC campaign team said INEC has confirmed that its candidate is qualified to contest the election, assuring that Tinubu will defeat his opponents in the 2023 election.
Onanuga continued: "We however sympathise with Atiku and his mudslinging agents. We know why they are lashing on every straw available. They are seized with fear that the election is once again lost.
"With the massive turnout of the Nigerian people to welcome our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Kaduna, Minna, Abuja and other parts of Nigeria in the last one week, it is obvious that they are running after a train that has left the station.
"The Constitution of the Republic is very clear on the rights of a citizen to contest for president. Our candidate has fulfilled those conditions. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the impartial umpire has affirmed that he is qualified to run.
"But the PDP and Atiku are utterly confused and in serious disarray and running round in circles like a barber's chair looking for what is not lost."
Tinubu Slams Shekarau For Declaring Him Unfit To Rule Nigeria
Meanwhile, the APC presidential candidate yesterday berated former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, for describing him as seriously incapable to be the next president of Nigeria.
Shekarau who spoke to journalists in Kano during a Tertiary Students, "SignUp for Atiku/Okowa Presidential Contest", Organized by Hajiya Baraka Sani, a former minister of Agriculture, had said the war of words between his candidate, Atiku, and APC presidential candidate was uncalled for.
The former Kano governor accused the media of overblowing what he called the unfortunately misguided utterances coming from both PDP and APC presidential campaign councils, saying the media is largely behind what is happening today.
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Shekarau insisted that the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, is seriously Incapable to be the next President of Nigeria in view of his apparent Incapabilities.
"When we said the Man is seriously sick or he is unstable in his activities are we wrong, is he not a Man who while trying to describe Nigeria, said, "in a Niger Delta State?", meaning Nigeria, how can you vote for this Man as your Number One Citizen".
But responding to Shekarau, Tinubu said Nigerians cannot take the former Kano governor seriously because he is an unstable politician who is bereft of conviction and principles.
Speaking through a member of Strategic Communications Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Temitope Ajayi, Tinubu wondered why Shekarau who is not a medical doctor would attempt to certify his state of health.
"Who is Shekarau to talk about Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's health? Is he his doctor to give a verdict on anyone's health not to talk of a man that towers above him in all things, Ajayi queried in a chat with LEADERSHIP yesterday.
Dismissing Shekarau as an unstable politician, he said, "Nigerians can never take whatever the former Kano Governor says on Asiwaju seriously because they know him as an unstable politician and a man without conviction and principle. I am surprised such a spent force is the one leading Atiku's campaign in Kano.
Atiku Remains Only Capable Presidential Candidate - Melaye
Also jumping into the fight yesterday was spokesman of the PDP campaign council and a one-time Senator, Dino Melaye, who said that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, remains the only reliable presidential contender who has the wherewithal to turn around the misfortunes of the nation and bring workable solutions to the socio-economic problems bedeviling the country.
Melaye spoke in Kano during the signing up of hundreds of students who came out in their numbers to formally sign up for Atiku to become the next President of Nigeria, come 2023.
He said, "I am in Kano today to witness the signing up of fifty thousand students who have agreed to back Atiku as President in order to encourage them to vote wisely and participate fully in the forthcoming elections.
"As we are all aware, Nigerian students are currently facing a myriad of problems that need an Atiku Presidency to solve. We need to vote for Atiku in order for him to address and ameliorate and paliate all the problems facing the nation," the Senator said.
Melaye further said the interactive session with the students at this critical moment would give them the opportunity to know what was disturbing them individually and as a group so as to help Atiku provide solutions to them when he clinched the exalted position.
On the empty promises Tinubu accused Atiku of, Melaye said the PDP presidential candidate is a man of his words.
"He talked of restructuring Nigeria, he said how is going to do it, talked of Selling NNPC and revealed how it is going about it. Therefore, Atiku is always making policy statements, not unrealisable economic promises " Melaye said.
