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Peter Obi’s Supporters Write INEC, Seek Extension Of PVC’s Registration Deadline

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VIDEO: What Peter Obi Said In Port Harcourt About Other Presidential Candidates

The Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO), an umbrella group for all Peter Obi support groups has written an open letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stating a list of demands that would prevent the disenfranchisement of over 30 million Nigerians who are eligible to vote.

The coalition in a statement by its Media Director, Chief Tochukwu Ezeoke, says it would embark on a civil protest if INEC fails to not only extend the deadline for permanent voters card registration and register new centres but, make an undertaking that all Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) must be ready at least 60 days before the date of the election.

The letter reads: “An Open Letter from the Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), concerning INDIRECT disenfranchisement of about 30m would-be Voters in the 2023 General Election.

“The Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO) is an umbrella organisation made up of various Peter Obi Support Groups with membership drawn from all walks of life, age groups, gender and ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and beyond. Our members are spread across the world and have chosen to synergize efforts and resources towards the single objective of entrenching good governance in Nigeria through a Peter Obi Presidency and continue with our mandates thereafter.

“The commission is aware that it was established in accordance with section 153(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The Core functions of the commission as stipulated in Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution are as listed below with particular emphasis to Subsection 5 where our concerns are captured:

“1. …
2. …..
3. ……
4. ……
5. Arrange and conduct the registration of persons qualified to vote as well as prepare, maintain and revise the Register of Voters for the purpose of any election under this Constitution.

 READ ALSO: INEC Extends Deadline For Political Parties’ Primaries

“Every eligible citizen has the right to register and vote in democratic elections. However, the right to vote cannot be effectively exercised without a place to register, and Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) ready for collection before the date of the election”

“Citizens’ right to take part in the election process must not be marred by huddles designed to disenfranchise them.”

The group went further to note that, “the percentage of eligible citizens that had registered and taken part in the previous election had hovered around 35%. We believe this number is very poor by every standard measurable and has made a concerted effort to ensure a sharp increase in the numbers through massive nationwide awareness and mobilisation campaigns as evidenced in the surge by new electorate recently.

“It is therefore sad, disappointing and disheartening that the commission is directly and/or indirectly disenfranchising almost 30m Nigerians via unacceptable conduct that in our opinion is clearly designed to limit the percentage of the population willing to take part in the 2023 election or a suggestion that this is the intention of the commission.

“Our members have complained bitterly and consistently of their inability to go through the continuous registration process as either there are insufficient staff members and/or computers devices at designated registration centres or insufficient registration centres due to the sudden surge and desire for the younger demographic to register and take part in the 2023 Election. We understand that some of our members had to take days off from their respective daily endeavours to register but sadly and disappointedly most did not succeed.

“It’s inexplicable and unacceptable that the commission cannot increase registration devices, staff and registration points for the 2023 election when it became obvious and demonstrably so that there was a huge surge of citizens willing to register for the 2023 Election.

“The core function of the commission is to conduct free and fair elections and it’s in the interest of the country that if not all, a reasonable percentage of the population take part in the election process. However where there is more than sufficient evidence to suggest otherwise and in particular pointing towards the commission’s tacitly disenfranchisement of citizens from the election process, we have the mandate of our members worldwide to embark on a CIVIL/PEACEFUL PROTEST if the commission fails to do the following:
1. Extend the deadline for registration until the end of September 2022
2. Increase Registration Centres, Staff and indeed be flexible to plug into locations provided by citizens in close proximity to their respective places of daily endeavours
3. An undertaking that all Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) must be ready at least 60 days before the date of the election
4. There must be a platform where citizens can register exploitative and predatorial behaviour by the commission’s staff at registration centres for swift action.

READ ALSO: Why You Might Not Be Allowed To Vote In 2023 – INEC

“We need not remind the commission that a lot is at stake for the citizens in the 2023 election and as a matter of fact, some have suggested that the 2023 election presents a make or mar option for citizens with regard to trusting the electoral process. The integrity of the commission is clearly at stake and we hope that she fixes things up urgently. We expect the commission to live up to expectations and international best standards so that history can be favourable to her independence and proactiveness as well as deepen democracy and restoration of citizens’ trust in the democratic process.

“We believe that the commission is interested in leaving a record of quality credible service in the 2023 general election”.

 

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Robbers Loot N30m Goods At Ikota Shopping Complex

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. Owners Report Security Firm To Police

For about two decades, Dr. Helen O. Eto, CEO, Superior Mobile Investment Ltd and iClick Gadgets, has been doing business peacefully at Ikota Shopping Complex which borders Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lekki Peninsula, Lagos. The shopping facility is run by HFP Engineering Ltd.

However, robbers struck at the complex that has about 1,850 shops in the early hours of March 7th, 2023. Finesse Security Ltd guards claimed that they forgot to lock the gate of the facility, allowing the hoodlums to cart away about N30 million phones and other goods from Mrs. Eto’s freshly restocked shop.

Lamentingher ordeal to the police in Ajah and Panti, Yaba, Mrs. Eto said : “We took bank loans for the business plus our life savings all of which are gone. This is a wicked plan against us in our old age with children still in school, other dependants and various bills.

“We plead that the police should help us to get to the bottom of the looting to save us from early deaths as our BPs have shot up sharply because this is our main source of livelihood. A list of the goods looted from the shop was/is attached to my statements at Ajah Police Station and SIB, Yaba.”

Omokioja Julius Eto, Chairman, Editorial Board of The Daily Times and a media consultant, corroborated his wife’s account. Eto, a former Associate Editor of The Guardian and Editor-in-Chief of The Trumpet, said: “The robbery is shocking because the security gate is inaccessible even to shop owners at night, our shop is just a stone’s throw from the gate and it would have taken about at least two hours to cut through the shop’s security system.

“This makes us to strongly see the guards as the main suspects. We were not immediately notified by the security firm or the facility managers (HFP) of the robbery which we only got to be aware of at about 8.20am through one of our employees.”

A former Editor of The Daily Times, Eto who has also worked as a senior editor at the Punch and Thisday, added: “Since the break-in on March 7 till today March 30, Finesse Security Ltd has not called to sympathize with us but has been evading our calls and texts to its MD whom we learnt travelled abroad after the robbery.

“We have been doing everything to support the police investigation despite our predicament and hope they will bring the culprits to justice.”

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Arrest Interim Govt Plotters Now – Governors

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Tambuwal Emerges Chairman Of Governors' Forum
Governor Tambuwal

Governors of the 36 states have asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest and prosecute those involved in a plot to put in place an interim government as part of moves to truncate the nation’s democracy.

Condemning the move, the governors under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum assured of their commitment to continue in the defence of Nigeria’s democracy as elected leaders.

In a statement on Friday by NGF Chairman and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal at the end of the 4th meeting of the Governors, he warned the DSS against issuing statements without arrest as that amounts to heating the polity.

Tambuwal said, “The Forum deliberated extensively on the alleged plot by some unscrupulous elements to install an interim government, as contained in the recent statement issued by the Department for State Services (DSS). Governors condemned in the strongest terms, any unconstitutional means of regime change and pledged its commitment to continue to defend Nigeria’s democracy as elected leaders.

“In addition, the Forum believes that issuing statements without arrests is akin to heating up the polity and causing unwarranted tension in the country. It called on the DSS to do its job by immediately arresting and prosecuting all those involved in the plot as a matter of urgency.”

Recall that the DSS had on Wednesday confirmed rumours that a section of the political class was planning for an interim government in order to truncate the result of the recently-concluded general elections.

The Spokesman for the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya in a statement said that the agency had identified some key players in the plot for an Interim Government in Nigeria but did not give the names of the masterminds.

The agency had said that the planners of the interim government had already held several meetings, during which they weighed many options to actualize their plot including sponsoring endless mass protests across Nigerian cities, securing a warrant to declare a state of emergency or a court injunction to stop the inauguration of the executive and the legislature at the federal and state levels.

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BREAKING:Lagos Govt Arraigns Chrisland School, Principal, Others Over Death Of Pupil Whitney Adeniran

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Chrisland pupil Whitney

The Lagos State government has arraigned Chrisland School, Opebi, its principal, vice principal and two other employees over the death of one of the school’s pupils, 12-year-old Whitney Adeniran.

On Wednesday, the government of Lagos State had filed charges against Chrisland School and four others over the death of the 12-year-old pupil, Whitney Adeniran.

The school and its workers were accused of involuntary manslaughter and reckless and negligent acts.

The workers who were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja include Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Mrs Belinda Amao, Nwatu Ugochi Victoria and Chrisland School Limited.

The school principal, Mrs Belinda Amao, broke down in tears while in the dock as the court and counsel tried to agree on a date for the commencement of the trial.

Whitney died during the school’s inter-house sports competition at Agege Stadium in Lagos on February 9.

Blessing Adeniran, her mother, had accused Chrisland of negligence over her daughter’s death.

The school’s management, however, dismissed insinuations that there was foul play in the death, saying she slumped in public.

Chrisland also argued that Whitney complained about “not-too-buoyant health” a few days before she died.

However, an autopsy conducted at the Lagos State University Hospital (LASUTH) confirmed that the deceased died from “asphyxia and electrocution”.

In the charges filed on behalf of the state government by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Babajide Martins, who disclosed that their negligence killed Whitney because they failed to ensure her safety.

The charge also disclosed that they all acted in a reckless and negligent manner that endangered human life.

The offences are contrary to Sections 224 & 251 of the Criminal Law, C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015

If found guilty, the offences carry a penalty of life imprisonment and two-year jail terms respectively.

On Tuesday, the state government granted access to Chrisland High School, Opebi branch, to open for physical learning ahead of the school’s forthcoming examination after parents’ appeal.

The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had ordered that the school be shut down on March 3, 2023, following the investigation into Whitney’s death.

Sanwo-Olu through the state Ministry of Education said the closure of the school would pave the way for unhindered investigation and afford all stakeholders, including parents, students, staff and friends of the deceased, time to grieve.

The reopening followed an appeal by the Parents of all Chrisland School Units who visited the Ministry of Education on Monday to seek the government’s understanding for “the sake of 500 plus students some of whom also have terminal examinations.”

The management of the school had tendered an apology over Whitney’s death.

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