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Attahiru Jega, the
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is
optimistic that he can oversee credible polls in Nigeria. “I can
guarantee an excellent job, if I get time until April to be able to
conduct elections,” Mr. Jega says confidently, sitting in his office at
INEC headquarters in Abuja.

He is referring to
perhaps the most urgent decision that needs to be taken regarding the
2011 polls. Last week, INEC sought the cooperation of political parties
to explore ways of extending the election timetable within a legal
framework because according to its chairman, “If we are able to conduct
an election in April, we can do a grade A job’’.

For details, get a copy of today’s NEXT newspaper

The Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo Presidential Campaign
Organisation has challenged all the presidential aspirants in our country to
run their campaigns based on issues rather than on personality attacks.

The organisation made this known in Abuja yesterday, in two
separate statements signed by its director of media and publicity, Sully Abu.
It also expressed disappointment with the threat by the Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomhole, to stage a protest against the federal government if the May
29 handover date was altered.

The campaign organization had on Wednesday said the ongoing
plans by four presidential aspirants from the north to gang up against Goodluck
Jonathan in the build up towards the primaries, is bound to fail. The statement
asked the presidential aspirants to follow Mr Jonathan’s example by conducting
issues-based campaigns. It also condemned the allegation by former vice
president and presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, that the president’s
insistence on contesting was polarizing the nation, as well as the report
credited to another aspirant, Bukola Saraki, that the mammoth crowd that
witnessed Mr Jonathan’s formal declaration in Abuja last Saturday was rented.

Throwing mud

“We call on all aspirants in the PDP to follow President
Jonathan’s great example by running a campaign based on issues, on what they
have to offer Nigerians to pull them out of the grip of poverty and
underdevelopment rather than resort to throwing mud,” Mr Abu said. “Such
old-style politics which has not got the country anywhere should not be the
forte of political aspirants who want to be taken seriously.”

The organisation noted that Mr Jonathan’s opponents were taken
aback by the degree of the sophistication and organisation displayed in the
massive turnout at his hitch-free Eagle Square declaration rally and by his
message, which has resonated exceptionally well across the land.

It was a mix of politics and entertainment at the Lekan Salami
Stadium, Ibadan, on Thursday when the Oyo State governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala,
declared his intention to run for a second term on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).

On stand to thrill the audience and the governor’s supporters
were Abass Akande aka Obesere and Abolore Adegbola Akande (aka 9ice) amongst
other popular musicians, who treated the audience to their popular tracks.

The governor was particularly ecstatic by 9ice’s performance,
as he danced round the podium before settling to give his declaration speech.
Titled “I hearken to your wish: I shall run”, Mr Alao-Akala’s speech explained
that he only made up his mind to go for a second term as a result of pressure
mounted on him from the public. “My dear compatriots and good people of Oyo
State, since the beginning of this year, many men of goodwill, comprising
notable citizens, professionals, peasants, market women, academic community,
religious leaders, corporate bodies, artisans and other interest groups have
approached and urged me to declare my interest for a second term in office.

“My standard response was to thank them for their concern, but
that I needed all my concentration to fulfil my promise which I made during the
electioneering campaign of 2007, and upon which our people freely voted for
me,” the governor said. He enumerated his achievements since he assumed office
in 2007 and gave a glimpse of his targets if allowed to run another term.

Opposition parties

Speaking on the opposition parties in the state, the governor
claimed that the parties have “failed in all the tricks used to blackmail his
government and derail it from achieving its objectives”.

As at time of his declaration, Mr Alao-Akala is the only known
candidate running for governorship of the state on the platform of the PDP.

Politicians, who are struggling to get tickets for one elective
post or the other also packed the venue with their crowds and entertainers,
trying to outdo one another. Though there was no record of violence, the
programme, which was a carnival-like event, witnessed the heavy presence of
political thugs, who were openly smoking Indian hemp at the event.

Leaders of the party, who have been campaigning for the governor for a long
time, took turns to pledge their loyalty to him and his ambition. Former
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Richard Akinjide,
and Omololu Olunloyo and Kolapo Ishola, both former governors of the state,
were among the politicians who expressed their support for the governor’s
second term.

The police in Calabar are on the trail of Jude Okwe, Cross River
State correspondent of National Life, over some stories published by the paper
last Sunday.

Mr Okwe said the spokesperson of the state command, Etim Dickson
(ASP), had informed him over the phone Tuesday afternoon that the story
alleging that some policemen invaded Moon Shine Hotel, a popular brothel in
Calabar South, to extort money from prostitutes and rape those who could not
pay the N1000 levy, has tarnished the reputation of officers and men of the
command.

Another story about a man who walked naked along Bedwell Street
and got N20, 000 for it was described by Mr Dickson to be one that was against
the tourism drive of the state government, and came at a time the state was
making preparations for its army of visitors for the annual Christmas festival.

“The police image maker invited me under the pretext that there
was a deal he wanted to strike with me,” Mr Okwe said. “But I told him I will
honour the invitation once I am through with my editorial duties.” Since the
invitation was not honoured, Mr Dickson on Wednesday, September 22, wrote to
the state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) inviting Mr Okwe
to his office on Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

The letter, reference No. AR/3000/CRSP/VOL.3/19 and titled
‘investigation activities’, reads: The attention of the Commissioner of Police,
Cross River State Command, has been drawn to a false and malicious publication
in National Life newspaper, Sunday 19, 2010, on pages 41 and 42 respectively,
where the pictures of His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State and
that of the police commissioner were used without confirmation and
authorisation.

“The correspondence [sic] is therefore invited to interview the
commissioner of police through the police PRO, on Tuesday, 28/09/10 at 1000hrs,
please.”

Target of smear

Mr Okwe said he has been a target of a smear campaign by some
persons within and outside the government, who see him as a non-conformist and
someone to be dealt with.

He said despite the campaign of calumny and threat to his life
by the powers that be, he will continue to practice journalism within the
confines of its ethics, irrespective of whose ox is gored.

“I will advise the police to visit the brothel, interview its owner and the
prostitutes, rather than invite me for arrest under the pretext of interviewing
the police commissioner,” he said. “They should also visit Bedwell Street to
ascertain the truth or otherwise of the man who walked nude and picked N20,000
for it.”

The Chairman of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Attahiru Jega, says he
will guarantee free and fair elections in 2011, if he gets more time to
prepare for the polls.

Mr. Jega gave this
assurance during an exclusive interview with NEXT at INEC headquarters
in Abuja yesterday. He said, ‘‘I can guarantee an excellent job, if I
get time until April to be able to conduct elections. I will have no
apprehension about doing a very good, excellent voter registration
exercise’’ adding, ‘‘I will have gained sufficient time to be able to
prepare adequately for the conduct of the elections’’.

The chairman of the
electoral commission was speaking about the recent call by his
commission for an extension of the election time table. Following a
retreat in Calabar, the commission also announced that it would be
looking at legal ways to get an extension of the election time table. A
day after that announcement, the body held a meeting with
representatives of all political parties most of whom rose from the
meeting endorsing the call for more time. The National Assembly has
since announced that it would be sitting on Monday to look at the issue.

Knotty issues

However, the INEC
Chairman admitted that potentially there are knotty issues with holding
elections in April, a month that increasingly appears to be the
preferred choice for holding the polls. He admitted that this date may
not allow time for resolution of cases that may arise out of the
election ahead of the May 29th handover, but says if INEC does an
‘‘excellent job, there will be minimal litigation’’.

Sounding upbeat
and optimistic, Mr. Jega also said he believed the Nigerian judiciary
is sensitive to the importance of dealing expeditiously with election
cases and he expects that they would do their best to speed up the
determination of cases arising from elections.

Read the full interview with Attahiru Jega in NEXT on Sunday

There are
indications yesterday that Mohammed Abacha, the eldest son of the late
former Head State, Sani Abacha may leave the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) to pursue his ambition of becoming the next governor of Kano
State.

Participants at an
emergency meeting, held at his Audu Bako Way campaign office in Kano
for his supporters, unanimously decided that Mr. Abacha should leave
the PDP with immediate effect.

Mr. Abacha, who
joined active politics barely two years ago, was pursuing his goal of
clinching the PDP ticket for next year’s campaign until the latest
development.

Up till yesterday,
former governor of the state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was the only
aspirant that had picked the N5.5m governorship intent form of the
party.

There are
insinuations that some members of the PDP Elder’s Forum in the state
have already allocated the governorship seat to Mr Kwankwaso, who was
also a former minister of defence and is seen as being in control of
the state’s party apparatus.

Mr. Abacha may not
be able to actualize his governorship bid due to the decision of the
Kwankwaso camp, popularly referred to as Kwankwasiyya group which is in
firm control party machinery in Kano, to back the former governor.

Saidu Bello, a
staunch supporter of Mr. Abacha, has accused the Kwankwasiyya group of
highhandedness, pointing to an alleged sharing of party positions to
only the Kwankwaso group as a pointer that there will be no justice for
other aspirants of the party.

The faction of the
former minister was said to have met in Kaduna last week and divided up
all elective positions in the party to only members of the Kwankwasiyya.

Leaving for CPC

Mr. Bello further
accused Mr. Kwankwaso of hijacking all the delegate forms that were
given to the state chapter by the national secretariat. Out of the 3000
forms, Kwankwaso allegedly collected 1500 for his loyalists and the
rest were shared among senatorial districts.

He said Mr. Abacha
and his supporters have concluded plans to dump the PDP, adding that
the next line of action for members of the group, who formed the bulk
of the Garkuwa faction of the PDP in Kano,

will be determined in the next 48 hours.

Mr. Abacha
reportedly met with Muhammadu Buhari three months ago in Kaduna, where
he made his intention to join CPC known to the presidential candidate.

Mr Buhari was said to have given him the nod to join the party, but
advised him to join with the aim of building the newly registered party.

The military high
command in Abuja has told residents that the movement of a large number
of military equipment and personnel noticed in the city this week was
in preparation for the nation’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Chris Olukolade,
the Director of Army Public Relations, said that a lot of military
hardware will become more visible as the date for the anniversary draws
near. “The men and equipment which are due for rehearsals on the parade
and displays assigned to the military during the celebrations will be
more visible as the main events of the National Day celebration
approach,” he said.

Amaka Nnopu, an
optometrist from Nyanya, said she has been noticing the increased
military activity for the past two days, particularly near her job.
“The low flying military aircraft in different shapes and sizes
hovering over Mogadishu Cantonment Abuja calls for concern,” she said.

A large number of armoured vehicles, artillery and troops were
already stationed in Eagle Square ahead of the Independence Day
celebrations next week. However, Mr Olukolade said there was no cause
for alarm. “The displays of aircraft, the noticeable movement of heavy
equipment and their men constitute no threat whatsoever to national
security,” he said. “The general public should go about their normal
lawful activities without panic or concern.”

The National
Association of Nigerian Students yesterday announced its drive to raise
N11 million to bankroll the presidential nomination form purchased for
President Goodluck Jonathan by governors of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) last Saturday.

The body’s
President, Jude Imagwe, told newsmen that the initiative, which is
tagged, it collecting N50 from every tertiary institution student
across the country as part of the association’s efforts towards
ensuring that Mr. Jonathan emerges the PDP’s presidential candidate and
wins the 2011 election.

Mr. Imagwe also
appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to
make voters registration centres available on campuses, so as to enable
students to effectively participate in the electoral process.

“As our comrade,
member and patron, the NANS Congress unanimously agreed to officially
raise funds to repay whosoever has purchased the nomination form for
President Jonathan to vie for the post of President in 2011 general
election,” Mr Imagwe said.

“The over 40
million Nigerian students will give our total support for President
Jonathan to emerge as President that will lead Nigeria through the part
of perestroika and glasnost. It is the new thinking for our students.”

Open to students

On why the body
chose to support Mr. Jonathan over other aspirants, Mr. Imagwe said the
President was the only aspirant to reach out to the students by
inviting them to his declaration and the first to give students access
to him to discuss their problems.

“We are equally unanimous in our scrutiny that President Jonathan,
having served as a lecturer, local government chairman, deputy
governor, Vice President, and current President of Nigeria, is the most
experienced, qualified, efficient, reliable, equitable and fair
Nigerian to lead the country to the promised land in 2011 as Nigeria’s
President,” he said.

Despite rumours of
his gubernatorial ambition, Teslim Folarin, the Senate Leader,
yesterday picked a form of intent to return to the senate for a third
term.

Mr Folarin, who
represents the Oyo Central Senatorial District at the National
Assembly, obtained his nomination form at the Wadata Plaza national
headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Abuja. Confirming that
the state secretariat of party is aware of Mr Folarin’s nomination, the
PDP state secretary, Bashiru Akanbi, said his office has no objection
to it. He also said Mr Folarin’s decision to obtain the form from the
national office does not in any way give credence to speculations in
the media that a parallel structure is on ground in the state, saddled
with the power to distribute nomination forms.

There were
indications that Mr Folarin might have secured the nod of party
chieftains as a purported agreement was said to have been reached
between the senators and the presidency on return tickets for them all.
But unlike in his last bid, when he literarily secured the ticket
unchallenged, the senate leader will have some equally competent
candidates to contend with within the party in the state this time.

They include the former military administrator of Lagos and Ogun
States, Raji Rasaki; Jumoke Akinjide, the daughter of the former
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation; Richard
Akinjide, prominent lawyer; Gbenga Olaofe and Depo Oyedokun, who wants
to cross from the House of Representatives where he currently
represents Oluyole Federal Constituency.

A faction of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers State, has alleged that the
government is interfering with its upcoming senatorial primaries.

A statement issued
by Baridoma Nkpe, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers South/East
Democratic Forum, said the state Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, was
coercing local politicians into supporting three delegates hand-picked
for the positions. “This illegal and corrupt action, if allowed, is
contrary to the 2010 Electoral Act and the PDP Primary elections
guidelines,” the statement read. “This exposes the party to serious
legal actions that could rule the PDP out of the ballot as the
delegates who elected the party candidates would not have been properly
elected according to the letters of the law.”

The group appealed
to the party’s National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and its National
Working Committee to call the governor and the state’s PDP chairman to
order. “We urge the national chairman to match his words with action by
insisting that the right thing must be done in Rivers state as the
party elects candidates for the 2011 general election.”