14032019 -Rowdy session in Senate over elections

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16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 HEALTH POLICY: From left— Executive Director, Osun Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Niyi Oginni; Osun HNIS coordinator, Ahmed Yahaya; Country Director, Health Policy Plus, Dr. Onoriode Ezire; General manager, Nigeria Health Insurance Scheme, HNIS, Mrs Idiot Ambilowo; Governor Gboyega Oyetola; his deputy, Gboyega Alabi and others, during a visit by the executives of Health Policy plus of the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, in respect of roll-out of States Social Health Insurance Scheme, SSHIS to the Governor in his office, Abere, Osogbo, yesyerday. Virtual security: NCC hands over ICT equipment to Nigerian Army By Emmanuel Elebeke ABUJA—THE Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, yesterday, donated a set of ICT equipments to the Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environmental Studies, Makurdi in Abuja to enhance research. The items include 10 laptops, 1 colored laser printer, 2 black and white Osanebi presents cars to constituents to celebrate PDP's victory in Ndokwa East By Festus Ahon ASpeaker SABA—DEPUTY of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Friday Osanebi, says Ndokwa East Local government area is a traditional territory of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Osanebi stated this while addressing constituents who trooped to his residence in Beneku community upon the news of his declaration and that of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as winners of the last Saturday's Governorship and State House of Edo anti-trafficking task force takes campaigns to communities By Alemma Aliu BENIN CITY—THE Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking, ETAHT, has taken its campaigns to communities urging traditional institutions to compliment its efforts in ridding the state of the menace. At the palace of Otaru of Auchi in Etsako West local government area, HRH Alhaji Aliru Momoh Ikelebe III chairperson of the task force, Prof Yinka Omorogbe said the visit laserjet printers and 1 projector. Presenting the items, the head of ICT department, NCC, Engr. Abraham Oshadame said the donation was in response to a request made by the institute in October 2018 in which the institute solicited for the Commission's intervention in the area of provision of ICT facilities for their use. He said the Commission Assembly elections. The Deputy Speaker at the event where he made a surprise cars gifts to two Constituents, told party faithfuls and supporters that the re-election of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for another term of four years was worthy of celebration as it was a reward for diligence and hard work. Osanebi commended the people of Ndokwa East for believing in continuity and good governance, assuring that the next four years will witness greater development. "Today, we gather in was to "educate, sensitize and enlighten the people of Auchi on the dangers of human trafficking and irregular migration in Edo state." She said statistics showed that Auchi community has lesser human trafficking cases than other communities, but with a high rate of irregular migrants. It is important for the youth to understand the effect of this perilous journey than to be deceived by empty promises. On his part, Ikelebe III commended the effort of is determined to assist the Nigerian army because of the crucial role they play in the security of the nation and expressed confidence that the tools would enhance their performance going forward. " I am delighted to inform you that the Commission promptly responded to the request by making donation of the ICT equipment to the institute. "The Commission no Beneku to celebrate God's faithfullness in the life of the state. Okowa represents light and the light shall continue to shine in Ndokwa East. We are all PDP faithful, friends and people of same family. It is our victory because we voted for a better and FG to empower 500 women, youths in S-East By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA—NO fewer than 500 women and youths from the five states in the the task force to fight human trafficking and irregular migration in Edo state. He added that this issue of human trafficking is not Edo state issue alone but it’s a national problem that the government needs to look into. At the palace of Ugieneni of Uzairue also in Etsako West, Omorogbe who is also the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Edo state said the visit was to educate,sensitize and enlighten the people of Uzairue on the dangers of human trafficking and irregular migration. doubt expects that this gesture will go a long way to complement the efforts of the Nigerian army towards achieving its mandate and to further enhance the security of the country. "It is our hope that this donation will.make a difference on the staff and students of our instrument not only by improving their acess to information and ICT tools but to developing appreciation of ICT for improved efficient in teaching and learning in various subjects." greater Ndokwa East. I congratulate my governor, I rejoice with the people of Ndokwa East. We pray against distractions. Let us come together as a people to make our local government area better". Osanebi said. South East geopolitical zone currently undergoing a week- long skills acquisition training programme in Awka are to be empowered by the Federal Government. The Zonal Intervention for Constituency Programme, which is taking place at the Senator Uche Ekwunife Events Center in Awka, is jointly sponsored by the Federal government through the New Partnership for African Development, NEPAD. National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, Princess Gloria Akobundu, who spoke through the director in charge of Programmes Development and Implementation, Mr. Emmanuel Abang told the participants that the greatest gift one could have in life is skill and knowledge and urged them to take the training serious. MTN to list on NSE in May - MTN CEO South African telecoms firm, MTN Group Ltd expects its Nigerian subsidiary to list on the local stock exchange “probably more towards April and May”, the unit’s chief executive said on Wednesday. The listing should be no later than halfway through the year, Ferdi Moolman, chief executive of MTN Nigeria told reporters in the commercial capital of Lagos. MTN last week said it aimed to list its Nigerian unit on the Nigerian Stock Exchange during the first half of 2019 without raising new money from investors immediately. MTN Nigeria said it would simplify its capital structure prior to the listing. The Nigerian company also said its subscriber base grew to 58 million users in 2018, up 6 million. Nigeria is MTN’s biggest market, with 52.3 million users in 2017, and accounts for a third of the company’s annual core profit, but has proven problematic in recent years. South Africa’s rand slips as Brexit chaos weighs on risk demand South Africa’s rand weakened early on Wednesday as the ongoing crisis in Britain over its exit from the European Union soured global risk appetite. At 0630 GMT the rand was 0.24 percent weaker at 14.3800 per dollar compared its overnight close in New York. The currency was volatile, rallying to a three-day high of 14.2250 before retreating after British lawmakers again rejected a deal to quit the E.U. Uncertainty over Brexit as well as caution over the prospects of a trade agreement between the United States and China has seen risk demand ebb, with investors increasingly opting for safe-haven assets like the dollar, Japanese yen and gold. Gold rose to a near two-week peak after reclaiming the key $1,300 level in the previous session, and was up 0.2 percent in early trade. Jumia pushes ahead with New York listing Jumia, the African e-commerce company of German start-up investor Rocket Internet, has filed for a New York initial public offering, which could value the firm at $1.6 billion or more. Jumia, founded in 2012 offers online shopping, logistics and payment services, but is losing money. The company says its business is expanding, and the continent’s development will make it a better market, with a growing young population, more infrastructure investments, urbanisation and rapid economic growth. The New York filing did not say how many shares Jumia would sell, nor at what price. Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Berenberg and RBC Capital Markets are leading the IPO. In December, Jumia was valued at 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) with shares at 14.74 euros, according to the filing. Italy’s Eni makes major oil find in Angola Italian company Eni said on Wednesday it had made a major oil discovery in Angola that would boost its credentials as one of the most successful foreign oil producers in Africa in recent years. The find is Angola’s largest offshore discovery in years and may help Africa’s second-biggest crude producer avoid a steep decline in output due to the ageing of its other fields. Oil accounts for 95 percent of exports and around 70 percent of revenues, and the government has recently offered better fiscal terms and more collaboration to international energy firms in an effort to help its mostly impoverished population. Eni said its new Agogo prospect in Angola’s deep waters contained between 450 million and 650 million barrels of light oil with potential for further upside.
Massive turnout that upset politicians TWO days before the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections I was at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja, heading to Maiduguri on a Max Air flight. It was a motley crowd that gathered to join the flight. There was the usual, excited, crowd of husbands and wives living in Abuja, along with their troops of children, going home to their spouses. But out of the crowd those that really stood out were the politicians, who came in all shades and hues. Many of them that day seemed rather weary and expectant, looking forward to the culmination of their efforts of the past year or so, and were not keen to engage in undue meddlesome small talks. A lot of the politicians I spotted in the crowd had crossed parties so many times, zig-zagging like crabs, that I had difficulty tagging them. With many of them you would not be sure whether to commiserate for the loss or congratulate them for the win in the Presidential election. Personally I was on the flight to observe the voter turnout in that part of the country – a turnout that was so heavy in Borno and Yobe states that it looked out of tune with the national pattern, and was pooh-poohed as implausible and thus controversial. By Carl Umegborofo PRESIDENTIAL candidate of All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party who got 11,262,978 ballots in the 2019 presidential poll. Resultantly, Buhari was declared President-elect by the umpire. The poll ran concurrently with that of the Senate and House of Representatives. By implications, Buhari’s ‘Next-Level’ package has gathered momentum. Ultimately, masses solemnly look forward to succour, particularly flourishing socioeconomic activities, infrastructural development and employment opportunities in the next four years vis-à-vis the ‘Next-Level’ mantra. Relatedly, a moment ago, President Buhari pledged to work harder in the next administration, which initially misconstrued to refer to toughish times. Sensibly, the overwhelming trust the masses reposed on the President by this reelection cannot be taken for granted; thus, good policies are required to impact their lives and welfare. Essentially, politics in Nigeria has subconsciously undergone a paradigm shift, leaving some powerful political dynasties in unforgettable shocks; overpoweringly flattened by peoples’ franchise. Moneypolitics too got heavy punches. Hopefully, future elections in the county may begin to epitomise merit and a level playing ground. Why? Scores of self-acclaimed ‘deciders’ were knocked out of the ring; synchronising Kingsley Moghalu’s catchphrase: “retiring the old political-class”. Beyond that, a baffling account is the trajectory of PDP votes from the return of democracy in 1999. For emphasis, prior to the introduction of Smart Card-Readers for accreditation, PDP had in 1999 - 18.7million votes; 2003 – 24.4million; 2007 – 24.6million, and finally in 2011 - Soon the airport protocols were over and the flight rolled and gathered steam. Nose up in the air, the plane was soon high up gliding effortlessly above Abuja and heading north-east. One of the best times to travel in this part of the country. Though the rains have come, once or twice, the southwesterly and the north-easterly winds have not yet begun their battle for controls of the skies. It was still calm above the clouds with hardly any jolting turbulence. I soon dug into my seat and set myself in the mode of reflections, particularly pertaining to the last election that took place a few days ago and the brouhaha that broke out when the figures were released. Many of us were irked by utterances of some political gladiators to the effect that the figures from the extreme north-east were not believable. I had voted in Abuja but my wife voted in Maiduguri and I recall conversing with her in the early morning of the election when she reported deafening booming sounds emanating from either the direction of Giwa Barracks or Polo grounds, both short distances from our residence on Circular Road. It turned out to be that they were being shelled from indeterminate directions possibly all in the attempt by the usual suspects to 22.5million votes. Eventually, when Card- Reader was introduced for digital accreditation, PDP votes suddenly dropped to 12.8million in 2015. In the recent election, PDP recorded 11.2million votes. The hard question is how did the party come by the high figures it persistently obtained before the advent of Card-Readers? Could it imply that schemers persistently allocated figures with impunity, hence such gargantuan discrepancies? A big question mark indeed. Sadly, the courts affirmed the elections. On the other hand, Buhari maintained average of 12 million votes before the Apathy, violence and administrative challenges that affected all parties uniformly are clearly not sufficient grounds to annul an election introduction of Card-Readers. Subsequent to the merger that birthed APC and increased Buhari’s numerical strength, his polls strenght under the Card-Reader, rose to 15.4million votes in 2015 to defeat Goodluck Jonathan. In the just-concluded poll, even as incumbent, Buhari maintained 15 milion votes. A cursory look at Buhari’s scores logically points to consistency, both prior to and during the Card-Reader era. Beyond doubt, Smart Card-Reader exposed and outsmarted the old order. Further indications empirically suggesting credibility of the poll include Dino Melaye’s victory. His name wouldn’t have been omitted in any lists if predetermined results (rigging) truly played out. The lawmaker won his re-election bid for the reason that democracy is a game of discourage voters from coming out to exercise their civic responsibilities. But that was exactly what was needed to ginger voters out of their comfort zones to queue up in the polling units. That and more was what I confirmed from my interactions as the flight touched down and I made my way into Maiduguri. There was a widespread indignation in the insinuation that Borno and Yobe had become ghostly areas and depopulated as most people had been killed or moved to other parts of the country and the neighbouring countries. People who carry such stories forgot that the two states are home to over six million souls going by The two State Governors, Kashim Shettima and Ibrahim Geidam that had lived and governed through the dark days of the insurgency will be leading a formidable team to the National Assembly Buhari’s reelection and matters arising the 2006 census and though it is true that they had borne the brunt of the insurgency, the number killed is in hundreds. Yes, villages and towns had been displaced, but the reality is that the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, have mostly been catered for in Maiduguri and Damaturu and other centres within the two states. It is true that some numbers have slipped into other parts of the country and the neighbouring Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 —17 17 countries but it would be scurrilous to be talking of depopulation due to such movements of a number of families. It is common knowledge that in Yobe State, by end of 2016, the IDP camps had all been closed and the affected families returned to their homes. I had the privilege of visiting the last camp in Damaturu two years ago and I wrote about it on this page and even then the camp was in the process of closure. In Borno the insurgency had persisted despite the fact that the military had significantly degraded the power of the terrorists and recaptured all the lost territory. Yet the fact remains that a significant number of IDPs have returned to their homes. There is plenty of evidence that the Borno State Government had rebuilt homes for the citizens in many local government headquarters, built from the scratch, in many towns and villages, markets, schools, hospitals to attract and resettle those displaced earlier. This can explain why, while 20 local governments voted in IDP camps in 2015, only two, Abadam and Kukawa were constrained to do so in 2019 and the number of votes though important, were paltry 10,000 or so. It would have been more engaging if the critics of the voter turnout had questioned why people who were so deprived and harassed by terrorists still came out to vote and in such large numbers. I would put my thumb on the people’s resilience and of course the elite mobilization urging them to resist. Somehow there seemed to have been a total unanimity among the elites on the direction to go, agreeing that the only means of salvation was to vote for the party numbers. Probably, Melaye didn’t face the degree of heat the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, contended with in Kwara. For example, Senator Saraki contended with overwhelming forces, including the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, leading a league of Kwara professionals, and then Gbemisola Saraki, a powerful voice in the dynasty who worked to deliver the state for her party, APC. Above all, the masses had for long been yearning for power-shift away from the Saraki political dynasty. The dynasty led by his late father, Chief Olusola Saraki, controlled Kwara politics for decades before Bukola took over. Eventually, the recent political tremor knocked him out like a dream. In Adamawa, Atiku’s home state which was overwhelmingly projected in his favour, recorded the opposite as votes were evenly divided between the two contenders. One may hastily conclude that rigging played a role if not meticulously weighed. Notably, the state produced the incumbent Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mustapha Boss and retired Brig. Buba Marwa who are highly influential figures in the state and the ruling party. Atiku was equally an APC chieftain until he sensed uncertainty over the ruling party’s ticket against the incumbent, hence the last minute defection to the PDP. Unfortunately, these prominent figures wouldn’t have abandoned the ruling party they supported for years for another party when they are key players in the administration and the party. In Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s polling unit, the former president’s son, Olujonwo who led the Buhari Youths Organisation, BYO, a strong campaign support group for Buhari’s reelection bid, campaigned vigorously across the country and overseas including the United States. Olujonwo severally visited, reiterated unwavering support for President Buhari’s re-election. that when in government had largely kept the blood thirsty terrorists at bay. Many who were in Maiduguri that morning of the Presidential election could attest to the mortar attacks and the courage to come out in large numbers to vote. And one could see from the clean sweep of the seats by those coming to the National Assembly from the two states. The two State Governors, Kashim Shettima and Ibrahim Geidam that had lived and governed through the dark days of the insurgency will be leading a formidable team to the National Assembly. Both of them will be senators and they had also encouraged their appointees as commissioners, heads of parastatals, local government chairmen to seek for seats in the National Assembly. I guess they want to bring to national attention the depravations suffered by the region. This could partly account for the massive turnout as people were mobilized to vote not only for the sitting President, but also for a National Assembly that could be supportive to him. On the morning of the Gubernatorial and the State Assembly election, I rode around to see the voter turnout. Maiduguri was at peace with no reported incidence of attack, though there was said to be an attempt on Friday to attack Mafa, about 40 kms on the Gamboru Ngala route, but the group of terrorists were quickly repelled. In all the places I visited I witnessed something akin to festivities in every polling station and one could see that many would wait until the votes were counted. The turnout was less than the previous election but as many said it was the first election that really mattered. Hence, delivering the polling unit in favour of the ruling party cannot be misconstrued as irregularity but strategic planning and actions. Furthermore, Godswill Akpabio, an APC chieftain and ardent supporter of Buhari’s reelection bid, shockingly lost his senatorial ticket possibly as reprisal shot over Justice Walter Onnoghen’s foreign account saga against President Buhari and his ruling party. Outside that, Akpabio had overwhelming votes in 2015 while in the PDP having led the state two terms as action governor. Critically, Atiku’s grumbles against the outcome incidentally didn’t show that INEC’s records differed from PDP agents’ accounts which would have been a fundamental flaw. Instead, Atiku merely questions how states ravaged by war could get massive votes, and that ballots in his strongholds were suspected to have been suppressed particularly Akwa-Ibom State having less than the votes in 2015. Unfortunately, the number of registered voters is never a factor in a poll but the figures that showed up for accreditation and voted. On the two contentions, the umpire’s duties do not include mobilising voters on election days, but exclusively for contestants and political parties. In conclusion, apathy, violence and administrative challenges that affected all parties uniformly are clearly not sufficient grounds to annul an election. The postponement affected many voters. Appraisingly, foreign observers from the European Union, EU and United Kingdom, without prejudice, affirmed the poll as reasonably credible, free and fair, apart from identified administrative challenges which the commission should do well to address in future elections. On these premises, peoples’ votes convincingly counted. Thus, INEC deserves commendations. Aligning with Lorie Myers: “True sportsmanship is excellence in motion”. •Umegboro, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos. C M YK
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Page 49 and 50: YOUR LUCK TODAY By Joshua Adeyemo P
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14032019 -Rowdy session in Senate over elections

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