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Ward Congresses in
Adamawa State to select ward and local governments ad hoc delegates of
the People’s Democratic Party ended yesterday with discordant tunes
emerging from various camps of the four governorship aspirants of the
party.

Joel Madaki, former
chairman of the People’s Democratic Party in Adamawa State and Umar
Ardo, a former aide to Atiku Abubakar, in a joint press conference
dismissed the elections saying it was not properly conducted.

The congress was to
elect three ad hoc delegates at the ward level and one at the local
government level for both the gubernatorial and presidential primaries
coming up early next year. But Mr Ardo said elections in most local
government areas never held, but rather, delegates were selected.

“Our people came
out expecting elections to hold, but until one o’clock, nobody
appeared, neither the INEC officers nor the PDP officers arrived. In
some places, those who came for the elections dispersed while in some
places they did a walkover because the governor’s side did not come. So
most of them were either that of my side or Joel Madaki or that of Buba
Marwa,” Mr Ardo said. “In some cases, they were told congresses were
conducted and concluded in the night only to be told by 7:30 in the
morning it was finished.”

The fight for who
gets more party delegates, seen to be a contest between Mr Marwa, a
former governor of Lagos State and Murtala Nyako, the incumbent
governor, is tangential to the claims by the other two contenders.

Both Messrs Marwa
and Nyako have expressed satisfaction with the process. Mr Marwa said
he was confident of favourable outcome in 15 out of the 21 local
government areas of the state. Mr Nyako, on the other hand, who is
accused of manipulating the process in his favour, is seen by his
supporters to be in the lead for the party delegates in the state.

Mr Marwa, who told
journalists at a press conference at his residence that he had
interacted personally with over 700 of the delegates taking part in the
elections, said he was envisaging success in the primaries because of
the effort of his campaign organisation, which he said was doing its
home work effectively.

Waiting for INEC

But Messrs Ardo and
Madaki have already petitioned INEC to jettison the ward congresses.
Both men said there were obvious signs. “Because your votes should
count, the principle of the president that every vote should count has
been defeated. Its not true, because it has not been reflected in the
first elections to hold,” Mr Ardo said.

Mr Madaki further
stated that despite the commitment of both the presidency and INEC to
conducting free, fair and credible elections, there can never be free
and fair elections if the internal democracy within the parties are not
strictly adhered to. Mr Joel advised Mr Nyako, who is the leader of the
party in the state as well as the chief security officer, to be mindful
of the security implications of subverting democratic means.

The INEC chairman in the state however said he was yet to get
reports from all his men on the field and would like to reserve
official comments till tomorrow when he expects full briefing on the
matter.

The People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted calls for the postponement of the
governorship election in Delta State, saying such call left it in
‘utter disbelief.’ The party also said it was troubled that some
political parties were planning to sabotage the re-run elections in the
state.

Fresh election for
the governorship of Delta State is scheduled to hold on January,
following the nullification of the 2007 election of former governor of
the state, Emmanuel Uduaghan. But the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
recently said the election should be postponed to give all aspirants
more time to prepare.

“We view the call
from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the postponement of the
elections as suspicious, ill timed and baseless,” a statement from the
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Rufai Alkali said. “It comes to us as
a huge surprise that ACN which has no candidate in the forthcoming
rerun elections would, with no valid reason or cause, just call for
postponement of an election whose date was fixed long time ago. We
wonder why a political party that did not participate in the first
election would call for a postponement at this time. The PDP wishes to
disassociate itself fully from these dubious and mischievous ranting of
latter day democrats.” Mr Alkali also said the PDP wishes to call on
INEC to ignore the ‘diversionary calls’ and go ahead with its
preparations for the elections.

ACN’S position

The Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN) in a press statement issued by its National Publicity
Secretary, Lai Mohammed on Monday warned INEC not to go ahead with the
election on January 6, 2011, if indeed the electoral body wants free,
fair and credible polls.

Mr Mohammed alleged
that there is no credible voters’ register in Delta State or anywhere
at all in the country to allow for a successful election.

According to the
party, “the main plank of the Court of Appeal’s nullification of the
2007 Delta’s State governorship election was the failure of INEC to
tender or even plead the voters’ register allegedly used in the April
14, 2007 election.” It however also alleged that the party said the way
and manner the Delta rerun has been handled so far gives the impression
that nothing has changed in INEC since the discredited Maurice Iwu era,
and that its chairman Attahiru Jega may have been hemmed in by those
bent on seeing to it that INEC under him fails woefully, as it did
under Mr Iwu.

As the yuletide
holidays come to an end, hundreds of outbound and inbound passengers
were on Tuesday seen at the both domestic terminals of the Murtala
Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

With some of the
travellers purchasing air tickets for their respective destinations,
others at the arrival terminals were being received by their loved ones
as they prepare for their regular work activities.

“It is no surprise
to see this crowd here because the Christmas holidays end today and
from tomorrow, work begins for most people; so one has to leave for
work after spending time with family members during the holidays,” said
Onoriode Victor, an Abuja bound passenger with Aero Contractors at the
Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2).

Three days prior to
Tuesday, flight activities at the domestic airports were on the low as
only a handful of travelers visited the terminals to embark on flights.

Mr Victor, however,
frowned at the increase in fares across major destinations within the
country, describing the development as “inadequate.” “I paid N4,000
extra for this trip to Abuja; but before now, I know you can book
online for tickets four times lesser than the amount I paid today,” he
said. “This to me is unfair and inadequate. They (airlines) should not
use this period to exploit travelers knowing that a lot of people fly
these days because of our bad roads.” To Chike Nelson, another
traveller with Arik Air at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), the
increase in fare is no surprise, as he maintained that the season
requires “multiple expenses.” “The increase in air fares is something
we encounter every year, and this is not only with airline operators;
other service providers and even those that sells food items inflate
their prices this period. In fact this season comes with multiple
expenses,” he said.

Admitting that the
high passenger turnout at the airports necessitated the increased
fares, a ticketing and reservation officer with Aero at MMA2 who spoke
on conditions of anonymity said that airlines have this period to make
up for some of their losses in the past.

“As you know airlines in Nigeria are faced with a lot of challenges
and we pay series of charges to many agencies in the industry, so a
little addition to the regular air ticket amount should not be seen as
an act of exploitation,” said the officer.

Former Minister of
Police Affairs Adamu Waziri has advised the people of Yobe State to
vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 general elections.

Mr Waziri made the
call in Damaturu on Sunday when he formally declared his intention to
contest the governorship election in the state on the platform of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing party
supporters in Damaturu, Mr Waziri said that President Jonathan stood
for “peace, growth and prosperity of the country, and Yobe in
particular.”

He described the
campaign by the PDP to snatch Yobe from the ruling All Nigeria Peoples
Party (ANPP) as a “struggle for freedom.”

Mr Waziri urged PDP supporters to close ranks and collectively move
the state forward, adding that “we must support whoever emerges as the
party’s candidate so as to wrest power from the ANPP.”

A member of the
House of Representatives, Hassan Adamu, on Monday said effective voter
registration would check the menace of election manipulations in the
country.

Mr Adamu, who is a
PDP member representing Birnin Gwari, Giwa Federal Constituency, said
the introduction of the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines by INEC
would add value to elections.

The legislator
commended the commission’s proposal to recruit NYSC and senior students
of tertiary institutions to conduct the 2011 exercise, but however,
appealed to the commission to consider the terrain of most of the
locations in the country to incorporate indigenous staff to work with
the NYSC and the students as local guide.

“These people are more conversant with the terrain. It will ensure
effective conduct of the exercise to avoid disenfranchising people,
especially those in the remote places.” He said.

The Chief of Army staff, Onyeabo Ihejirika, said
yesterday that although the deployment of soldiers to the Niger Delta
was to ensure peace, the military will not condone lawlessness. Mr.
Ihejirika, a lieutenant general, was on a fact-finding tour of Delta
creeks on Sunday where a militant leader, John Togo,

is threatening the peace and stability of the
area. He warned that the present government will not tolerate any act
capable of bringing down the nation’s reputation will be viewed
seriously.

Accompanied by the Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander, C. Omoregie, a major general, and other military
chiefs, the Chief of Army Staff met with some inhabitants of the area
at Ayakoromo, where soldiers displaced some residents and urged them to
maintain peace at all time assuring that the military will not attack
them.

“I want to assure you that the soldiers were
deployed to this area to maintain peace and not to kill. The only
person we are looking for is John Togo whose evil deeds have resulted
in the death of innocent persons.” He explained that development can
only come in an atmosphere of peace and promised that all the buildings
destroyed during the exchange of fire between John Togo and the
soldiers will be rebuilt but advised that the villagers should always
give up themselves whenever search is being conducted by the solders.

Villagers’ tears The villagers who corroborated
the fact that nine persons were killed during the crisis and not 50
were moved to tears as the Army chief hugged them one after the other
and they in turn pledge their loyalty to the federal government.

Samuel Rubber, who spoke on behalf of the council
of elders, commended the military for saving them and urged that basic
facilities be extended to them, especially as the place is almost
desolate.

Addressing the soldiers earlier, Ihejirika commended them for their gallantry adding that Nigerians are proud of them.

He however charged them to fish out John Togo and his gang, adding, “There will be no peace for the wicked.

The Army Chief however expressed dismay over the death of some
soldiers, adding, “I feel sad that some soldiers died, in fact it is
very painful but I can assure that they did not die in vain while
protecting the image of this great country”.

The Ondo State governor’s wife has called on Nigerians to contribute to the upkeep and welfare of the needy in the society.

Olukemi Mimiko said
this over the weekend while celebrating the end of the year party with
the inmates of Ago Ireti Leprosarium and the State Children’s Home said
the visit afforded her the opportunity to felicitate with the less
privileged particularly the children describing them as special gifts
from God.

“Anyone who is
blessed with such gifts should treat them with love and care, instead
of abandoning them. The aim of the end of the year activities is to
re-assure our children and the less privileged in our society that,
they are always being considered in government programmes and policies.”

“Let me place it on
record here that the present administration in the state is very
passionate about the present and future of our children, through
numerous programmes and policies to avail children the opportunities of
development and attaining their God given potentials in all
ramifications.” She later presented various items and cash gifts to the
inmate and the children. Items presented include: yam tubers, palm-oil,
cartoons of soya beans oil, and bags of rice among others.

Bukola Tenabe, the
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, noted that
Governor Olusegun Mimiko has approved the construction of a new hostel
and a reception hall to solve the accommodation problems of the Home.

Mrs Tenabe therefore commended the governor’s wife on her visit to the Home.

The Disabled
Persons Empowerment Foundation (DPEF) wants more of its members to be
given the opportunity in governance to contribute their quota to
national development.

Mr Parkins Uzor,
Chief Executive Officer of the foundation made the call in an interview
with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, Abia State on
Monday.

He stressed that the Federal Government can do this by integrating more persons with disabilities in governance.

According to him,
when people are not represented in any way in government, it is
difficult for them to influence or sponsor bills that will affect their
lives.

He said, “Any
democratic dividend from the three tiers of government without full and
total emancipation of people living with disabilities is a monumental
failure.

“Persons with
disabilities have all it takes to economic prosperity. We have the
political energy and momentum. Our strength for economic growth is
undisputable.

“There is no
provision in the constitution which says people living with
disabilities are not entitled to holding public offices or elective
positions.” Mr Uzor called for the creation of a Disabled Persons
Welfare Fund and a Ministry for the Physically Challenged where funds
recovered from corrupt officials should be kept for effective use.

He said some sections of the public are not concerned about the plight of persons with disabilities.

“They keep creating awareness that people living with disabilities should not be stigmatised.

“Our problem is not stigmatisation but empowerment. If we are being empowered, nobody will stigmatise us,” he said.

Despite ongoing discussions between two major opposition
parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC), findings by NEXT indicate that the parties will field separate
candidates in the 2011 elections.

Both parties have admitted being involved in negotiations which
will lead to a merger or an alliance. While the ACN negotiation team is lead by
Niyi Adebayo, former governor of Ekiti State, the CPC team is led by Aminu
Masari, former speaker of the House of Representatives.

Sources within the ACN however confirm that for reasons
including the short period before the general elections, the rigid positions of
the parties and the rejection of the alliance by top members of the ACN, the
proposed alliance would not work.

“Let me tell you that majority of our party leaders and members
do not support it. Also, there is no time for any merger. We have less than
four months to the elections, even the electoral act does not allow that,” a
national official of the ACN told NEXT. Apart from the four ACN governors
(Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Adams Oshiomole of Edo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti,
and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun) who are reportedly opposed to the alliance, the
chairman of the party, Bisi AKande, is also said to be against it.

Mr Akande’s opposition is based on the insistence of the CPC
that Muhammadu Buhari, a retired General and former military ruler, should be
made the presidential candidate of any alliance that was formed. Mr. Buhari is
not only the CPC’s only presidential aspirant, the party was primarily formed
to help him achieve his presidential ambition.

“The CPC was founded on my authority by my political associates
as a solution to the debilitating ethical and ideological conflicts in my
former party, the ANPP,” the former head of state stated on the party’s
website.

Prior to the formation of the ACN, the Action Congress had
stated that its presidential candidate for the 2011 elections would be a young
man, a child of independence, who has demonstrated competence and integrity and
is untainted with corruption allegations.

Party for the young

After his unopposed re-election at the ACN convention in Benin
on Tuesday, Mr. Akande again restated this position in his acceptance speech.

“Now that the Action Congress of Nigeria and the entire people
of this country are happy with the services of these young men (four ACN
governors), I think you will all cooperate with me to ensure that we return
another young man as the President of Nigeria,” the party chairman stated while
surrounded by the four governors.

Unlike Mr. Buhari who is 68 years old, all the presidential
aspirants of the ACN are around 50. The Action Congress presently has three
presidential aspirants. They are Uba Saidu Malami (46) a businessman; Attahiru
Bafarawa (56), former governor of Sokoto State; and Nuhu Ribadu (50), former
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Usman Bugaje, the former National Secretary of the party, is
believed to have dropped his presidential ambition and will instead run for
governor of Katsina state.

“We can say boldly that our party has the youngest and brightest
presidential aspirants in the country,” Lai Mohammed, the national publicity
secretary of the ACN stated while commenting on the relatively young
presidential aspirants of the party.

Another senior official of the party said barring last minute
political upheavals, Mr. Ribadu will likely emerge the presidential candidate
of the party.

Some of the factors believed to be working for Mr. Ribadu, apart
from meeting the criteria the party set up, are his popularity not just within
the ACN but also across different political parties, and his acceptance and
popularity among young Nigerians.

Mr Ribadu proved his political acceptance when leaders gathered
at the Thisday dome in Abuja on Tuesday, December 14 to launch his
autobiography, “My Story, My vision.” Describing the former EFCC boss, Ken
Nnamani, former senate President and PDP chieftain stated that “Nuhu is one of
the few Nigerians that I consider a good example.

The type of courage he has is the type of courage Nigeria needs
if we indeed want to join the committee of Nations in the year 2020.” Another
PDP leader who clamoured for a Ribadu presidency is Femi Fani- Kayode, the
former aviation minister.

“If a man like Ribadu emerges as your candidate, many many
people from PDP, from APGA, will join your party,” Mr. Fani-Kayode stated.

The National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance
(APGA), Victor Umeh, as well as other APGA chieftains are also said to be
rooting for a Ribadu candidacy if they are to join any alliance.

The Tinubu factor

One person who many believe is going to influence the decision
of whether the ACN picks Mr. Ribadu or joins forces with the CPC to pick Mr.
Buhari as the presidential candidate is Bola Tinubu, former Lagos State
governor and the most influential ACN chieftain.

“Asiwaju wants an alliance of progressive political parties to
defeat the monster called PDP, that is why he is encouraging the talks. But
definitely he supports that all presidential aspirants go for primaries,” one
of his aides said.

The Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) recorded low accident rate during the yuletide
period, an official of the commission, Mr Kayode Olagunju, who is the
Commander in charge of Okene-Lokoja-Abaji and Abuja for the Christmas
and New Year period, said this on Monday in an interview with the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, but did not give any figures to
buttress his claim.

He added that the
commission has recorded some crashes on the road, “but, as said earlier
by the Corp Marshal few days ago, we are not where we wanted to be but
the rate is lower than what it was last year.

“Today, the road is
better than it was three days ago, and yesterday, traffic was very
heavy because a lot of people delayed their movement till Christmas
Day,” he said.

He also said that
the major problem the commission had on the road was that of some
senior government officials “who have the privilege of using siren,”
disrupted the traffic arrangement on ground.

“They put on their
siren and their convoy disorganise the traffic control arrangement and
when they move many other road users followed them.

“However, we were
able to get some of them to comply by force, while the number plates of
those who proved aggressive were captured in our video coverage of the
operations,” he said, but that “we shall definitely release their names
which we compiled, under what is known as the roll of shame.”
Meanwhile, NAN correspondents who visited some parks in Abuja report
that some people were seen relaxing with their family members.

At the Millennium
Park in Maitama, Chinonso Uka told NAN that she came to relax with her
kids as part of the Christmas celebration.

On his part, Ikechukwu Ole expressed regret that there was no money for “the masses to celebrate the Christmas.”

“We are hoping that
by the grace of God when our man, President Goodluck Jonathan is there
he will provide for us to celebrate next year’s Christmas in style,” he
said.

Also speaking to
NAN, Abdulahi Kaku, the General Manager of Maitama Amusement Park, said
about 2,478 people visited the Park in the past three days.

“We brought traditional dance troupe to entertain people; there was
also dancing competition and many people won various prizes,” he said.