The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that it has confidence in the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, thereby denouncing the statement made by the party’s presidential campaign spokesperson, Femi Fani-Kayode, who earlier implied that the party had lost confidence in the electoral umpire.

Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, told reporters at a media briefing on Thursday that it so far has no reason to question the credibility of the INEC chairman.

Femi Fani – Kayode had complained about what he said was a deliberate attempt by INEC to favour the opposition through the distribution of more Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs in the north than other parts of the country.

Fani – Kayode also accused Jega of holding secret meetings with chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC to perfect how to manipulate the election for the opposition party.

“Pieces of information at our disposal have shown that Jega has had meetings with APC stalwarts in Dubai and other cities in the world to perfect this wanton conspiracy against 23 million eligible voters.  Besides, we have information that the PVCs that Nigerians are scrambling for are not in Nigeria and will not arrive before the elections. These PVCs are still in China and Prof Jega has strategically delayed their arrival to suit his electioneering permutations,” he alleged.

However, the PDP chairman saw things differently, saying that the party believes that Jega and his team in INEC would conduct free and fair election in March.

“You asked if the party has confidence in Jega. My answer is not far-fetched,” Mu’azu said, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan also support INEC.

“The President stated during his media chat last night (Wednesday) that he has confidence in Jega…We also have confidence in Jega and that he and his team will conduct free, fair and transparent elections,” the PDP chairman stated.

The reason given by Jega for the postponement of the elections, however, did not sit well with Mu’azu, who said the commission only capitalised on the security situation in the northeast to mask its non-preparedness.

“Although we tend to agree with INEC on the security reasons given for the postponement, we are nevertheless not unmindful of the fact that the commission on its own part was not fully prepared for the February 14 election date,” Mu’azu said

He noted: “Taking the INEC chairman, Jega, on his own words, for the 68.8 million registered voters, the commission had only printed and delivered 66.3 million Permanent Voter Cards with 1.3 million yet to be delivered and 1.1 million stolen cards yet to be replaced.

READ ALSO:

• Nigeria, History And The Clear And Present Danger
• Nigerian Military Accuses Niger Of Aiding Boko Haram
• Oba Irediauwa Is not Dead – Benin Traditional Council
• Nigeria’s Backward March
• Curfew Imposed On Gombe After Boko Haram Attack

“Also according to Jega, 45.09 million voters cards were collected by prospective voters, representing 65.8 per cent of the registered voters and 23.71 million PVCs, representing 34.2 per cent, were yet to be collected as at February 7, which is exactly one week to the February 14 earlier scheduled date. Compare this anomaly with the 2011 elections where not a single eligible voter was disenfranchised.”

Mu’azu, therefore concluded that INEC “could not sincerely claim to have been fully prepared for a desirable credible, free and fair election at the time when more than 23 million registered voters were going to be disenfranchised.”

By Samuel Malik, Abuja

Transparency International, TI, the global organisation leading the fight against corruption, has called on governments around the world to synergise in order to effectively combat money laundering, which has plagued many countries, particularly  the developing world.

According to TI, despite abundant evidence, most investigations into money laundering have usually resulted in plea bargains and fines, thereby encouraging more of the illicit transactions.

According to Jose Ugaz, chairman of Transparency International’s board of directors, there is usually evidence of money laundered “but for the greatest part investigations have only resulted in corporate fines with almost no criminal prosecutions of individuals. Actions by national judicial authorities to end this criminal behaviour are largely absent.”

Ugaz believes that the lack of senior management accountability “sends a signal to the corrupt individuals and corporations laundering cash, and to their banks, lawyers and other agents who assist them in their crimes, that in this area there is impunity”, adding that “this is wrong.”

Transparency International’s call for more action on money laundering is coming on the heels of several reports that have put Nigeria, among other countries, in the spotlight regarding money laundering and corruption.

Nigeria is reportedly responsible for 60 per cent of the money that Africa lost to capital over the last decade, with $60 billion leaving the continent annually, according Illicit Financial Flow report adopted by the African Union.

Transparency International said those who engage in money laundering use intermediaries like bankers, accountants, real estate brokers, consultants and other professionals, who encourage and profit from it by concealing identities of criminals.

“Approximately 100,000 individuals and corporations held accounts at the Swiss branch of Europe’s largest bank, HSBC and investigations by the media have found many to allegedly conceal funds for tax evasion and others to harbour the alleged proceeds of corruption.”

“UBS, one of the two largest banks in Switzerland, confirmed on February 10 that it is being investigated by US authorities into whether it helped Americans evade taxes,” TI said.

Instead of fines and plea bargains, the watchdog said stringent sanctions such as prison time is crucial in discouraging the act, as fines can only embolden perpetrators.

“Time behind bars for those who break the law, rather than settlements that shift the burden to shareholders, would signal a time to change,” Ugaz said.

He equally observed that ending money laundering requires the cooperation of the financial sector, especially banks, noting that secrecy laws make them attractive to those interested in the crime..

“Recent investigations in the US, UK and Switzerland in bank practices have put a spotlight on these issues,” TI said, adding that, “Banks need to oversee their employees and enforce higher ethical standards, which have to be reflected in the tone from the top, the performance management system and remuneration.

“

By Abiose Adelaja Adams

The Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP, a non -governmental organization, NGO, has expressed optimism that the postponement of the general election will give room to the courts to deal with its pending lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, regarding prisoners’ right to vote before the new election date of March 28.

The suit with file number FHC/ABJ/CS/157/2013, was first filed in March 7, 2013 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in defence of a certain Godwin Pius, a Nigerian death row prisoner at the Federal Prison Ibara, Abeokuta.

The plaintiff prayed the court to issue an order compelling INEC to register the names of all prisoners in Nigeria in the voters’ register and set up voting units in all prisons and detention centres, provide polling centres and facilities to enable them vote in 2015 and in all subsequent elections in the country.

“Prisoners have the right to vote, as enshrined in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act; but INEC has denied them of that right in all elections conducted in Nigeria,” Obiagwu said in an interview with the www.icirnigeria.org.

He argued that failure of INEC to register the names of all voters constitutes a violation of their rights because electoral body has the statutory duty and obligation to ensure registration of the names of all qualified voters (including approximately 60,000 prison inmates) in Nigeria in the voters’ register, set up voting units and provide facilities to enable registered voters to participate in elections.

“They might have been incarcerated in prison but they are still citizens of Nigeria above 18 years, and so have the right to vote under Section 12 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended),” the lawyer and activist stated.

INEC on February 6, 2014 had prayed the court to strike out the suit arguing that it was incompetent on the grounds that Pius, the death row prisoner, had no locus standi to institute proceedings in a court of law, given that he had been stripped of his right to personal liberty by virtue of being a prisoner on death row in a secluded prison under a 24-hour watch.

Obiagwu however, argued that there is no provision of law in Nigeria, including the Prisons Act and regional or international treaty to which the country is a signatory that excludes prisoners’ right to vote.

“The combined reading of  Section 14(2) (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 12 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended), and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Act 1990 shows that the right to vote by any Nigerian who has attained age of 18 is guaranteed. This right is not removed by fact of imprisonment of the citizen.”

Obiagwu’s major argument is that  the policies and laws made by the elected leaders and government affect the daily lives and rights of prisoners but they are excluded from the process of electing such people.

“The Nigerian prison system is beset with well-known and fairly well-documented problems including high awaiting trial population occasioning congestion, poor sanitary and health facilities, decaying infrastructure.”

Jail breaks has also become common due to the aforementioned, he noted.

In his analysis, elected governments in the past have shown no commitment to reforming the laws regulating Nigeria’s prisons. The current Prisons Act was enacted in November 1947 (68 years ago), and is yet to undergo any fundamental reform since.

Also, a draft prisons bill presented to the National Assembly in 2004 is yet to be passed into law.

According to the Nigeria Prisons Service website, there are 239 prisons nationwide with a capacity for 49,505 inmates. As at June 30, 2014, there were 56,785 inmates in Nigerian prisons, out of which a huge 68 per cent are awaiting trial, while only 32 per cent have been convicted.

According to Obiagwu, the problems with the criminal justice system and conditions of the prison, have been acknowledged by the Nigerian government and in many attempts at reform, the federal government has set up panels such as National Working Group on Prison Reform and Decongestion in 2005, Presidential Committee on Prison Reform and Rehabilitation in 2006 and Presidential Commission on the Reform of Administration of Justice 2006.

These panels submitted reports recommending far reaching prison reforms to the government.

‘Unfortunately, past government in Nigeria have shown apathy towards implementing reports of panels it created,” Obiagwu lamented.

The last hearing of the case was in October 2014, but case was adjourned because of the absence of the plaintiff’s counsel in court. However, the case could also not be heard on the adjournment date because the courts were on strike.

The activist lawyer expressed the hope that with the six weeks postponement of the election, the court will take another look at the case.

“With this postponement now, we can proceed with it and even if it doesn’t meet this election, we would have won the case for subsequent elections in Nigeria,”

A civil society group, Citizens Initiative for Security Awareness, CISA, has cautioned Nigerians on the need to be wary of the antics of some hostile foreign powers currently masquerading as friends on the issue of 2015 general elections.

The group gave the warning at a press conference convened by another group, I-Nigerian Initiative, in Abuja while reacting to international response to the postponement of the general elections in Nigeria.

Expressing disappointment at the postponement of the polls after much mobilization by its members and political parties, the group observed, however, that “the six weeks is not six months, more so we have received continuous assurances from both the NSA and President Jonathan that the May 29 date for inauguration of a new Government is sacrosanct.”

The national coordinator of the group, Chidi Omeje, affirmed his confidence in the motives of the National Security Adviser, NSA, and the defence chiefs concerning the issue, stating that “we believe, without equivocation, that the intervention and position of the National Security Adviser and the relevant security agencies on this issue was guided by altruism and the larger interest of the nation and not in any way for partisan considerations”.

Cautioning Nigerians to be wary of insincere advice from those who had predicted the disintegration of the country, he drew attention to the fact that when the federal government approached certain western powers to purchase necessary armaments needed for fighting the Boko Haram insurgents, the nations had bluntly refused and that they had even gone further to “veto decisions by other friendly countries to sell weapons to us, citing some vague claims of human right abuse by our troops”.

Omeje said that the decision was “to frustrate our efforts and to denigrate our sovereignty” while insisting that patriotic Nigerians must never be silent in the face of supremacist interference in the nation’s affairs by the “Western interlopers who turned in time of great distress but are now quick to grandstand and pontificate over our election dates.”

He noted that the present momentum in the counter-terrorist operation spearheaded by a reinvigorated Multi National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, involving Nigerian military and her counterparts from Chad, Cameroun and Niger Republic was yielding positive results.

“It was based on this imperative that the military is of the opinion that providing full support to the electoral process at the moment will greatly affect the terms, spirit and tempo of the new collaboration.  The belief is that between now and the coming weeks will be very crucial in the renewed fight against terror by the reinvigorated Multi National Joint Task Force which Nigeria is coordinating and that any distraction or diversion at this critical moment will be counter-productive as we move to reverse the situation in the northeast,” Omeje said.

Speaking further on rumours of collusion between the military and politicians, Omeje stated that contrary to insinuations being bandied about on social network platforms and in the traditional media by some politicians, the position of the military is definitely in the larger interest of the national security and not for any political expediency or ulterior consideration.

“We therefore advise fellow Nigerians to insulate the military from partisan politics and rather have confidence in its neutrality and sense of patriotism.”

The CISA coordinator, who also spoke on INEC’s readiness to conduct elections, observed that with Nigerians anticipating an election that will not only be free and fair but which must also be credible, it would be counter-productive to conduct the said elections in a situation whereby close to 30 per cent of potential voters had not collected their permanent voters’ cards, PVCs.

“INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega was also quoted to have admitted that if given more time, the commission would do a better job; this is in recognition or admission of apparent non-readiness of the commission, he noted.

Omeje also observed that “Card readers were still being imported while ad-hoc staff were yet to be trained for an election that was just seven days away” and queried, “Will it not have been a monumental embarrassment for INEC if it had gone ahead to conduct the elections with such level of preparation?”

He also expressed appreciation to the Nigerian armed forces which he said, apart from its primary constitutional role of defending the country from external aggression and internal insurrection also shouldered the responsibility of providing support in aid of civil authority in times of national security emergencies such as providing complementary security arrangement to protect the electoral process.

Senate President David Mark has refuted an allegation by Babafemi Ojodu, an All Progressive Congress, APC, member of the Senate, that he was the first person to call for postponement of this year’s elections.

Ojudu said that Mark made the call last year on the floor of the Senate

Expressing his dismay, the Senate President said in a statement that he never called for the delay of the polls and would never do such.

“I have neither canvassed the postponement or deferment of 2015 election nor has my body language ever suggested that. I am shocked that distinguished Senator Ojudu could descend to this level of mischief and blackmail for reasons that I am yet to understand,” the statement read.

Cautioning Ojodu, Mark said notwithstanding their political affiliations, there is need for politicians to maintain restraint for the sake of peace and unity”

READ ALSO:

• United Nations Demands End To Use Of Child Soldiers In Conflict
• 2015 Election: Group Warns Against Foreign Interference
• Legal Aid Group Demands Voting Rights For Prisoners
• Transparency International Wants Global Action Against Money Laundering
• PDP Has Confidence In INEC Chairman– Adamu Mu’azu

The Senate President recalled: “when the issue of insurgency came to the floor of the Senate and a distinguished senator introduced the issue of election I had cautioned that the issue before the Senate had nothing to do with election and that the issue before us in the Senate was insurgency and terrorism.”

In September 2014, it was reported in the media that the Senate President had called for the postponement of elections on the floor of the Senate, something he immediately denied through a media statement issued by Paul Mumeh, his media aide.

By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin 

Unknown gunmen on Tuesday stormed Okomu Oil Palm Plc. and attacked seven workers, killing two and injuring five, in a spate of attacks that have left the company apprehensive.

Located at Udo village in Ovia South West local government area of Edo State, Okomu Oil Palm has come under attacks in recent time from angry Ijaw youths, who feel angered at the company’s refusal to ‘settle’ them.

Our source said the miscreants also set ablaze a significant area of the plantation before escaping from the scene.

The source also said some workers had been attacked before but the management kept mute. He also said Tuesday’s incident took place not far from a security base.

“This matter does not concern us. We are just workers but the Ijaw boys always attack us and leave the management staff alone.

The spokesman of the company, Ikponmwosa Osunbor, confirmed the killings and said the hoodlums have been warning the oil firm to leave the land, even though they have not made any demand for money, but rather throwing leaflets into firm asking them to leave.

“They have burnt 300 hectares of matured rubber and oil palms,” Osunbor said, calling on government to detail more security to the plantation, “Government should provide more security for us. Our fear is that it will not turn into a tribal war.”

By Adedayo Ogunleye, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, – led Goodluck Jonathan government of deliberate attempts to harass and intimidate opposition figures, especially in the run-up to the general elections now scheduled for March 2015.

The party’s national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, in press statement issued Thursday in Lagos, stated that the recent military siege on the Lagos residence of the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, the Imo State Government House residence of Governor Rochas Okorocha, and the subsequent siege by mobile policemen on the residence of APC’s presidential campaign spokesman, Garba Shehu, in Abuja, all fit into a pattern of harassment and intimidation to which the party has been calling the public’s attention.

It also said that key national leaders of the party have been placed under surveillance by security agents.

”As the elections approach, we know the harassment and intimidation will be stepped up. We know our leaders, including the National Chairman Chief John Oyegun, National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, former Gov. Timipre Sylva, Senator Bukola Saraki and National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed, are under surveillance and their phones being hacked,” the APC alleged.

The party stated further: ”We are aware that several of them, especially the National Publicity Secretary, have been marked down for arrest in the days to come. We know there are evil plots to frame some of them on trumped-up charges. We know our lives are in danger. But these and more will not deter us from continuing to act in the national interest or from seeking to effect change through the ballot box.”

Thanking Nigerians for their unwavering support since the elections were re-scheduled for March, the party noted that the postponement was specifically aimed at dampening the enthusiasm of those who had embraced the message of change, and urged supporters of the APC not to relent.

”We are glad that instead of weakening the resolve and enthusiasm of Nigerians, the Presidency-orchestrated postponement has further galvanized them to be more determined not only to vote but also to defend their votes,” it stated.

The APC called on Nigerians to demand and insist “that the elections be held as rescheduled, that there will be no interim government or tenure elongation”, stating also that Nigerians have the power to forge change with their voter’s cards.

Calling on President Jonathan to “remember the verdict of history and put his dogs of war on a leash”, the party said that the president should realize that history will judge no one but him even for the actions of his supporters, who are all acting in his name.

Tinubu had raised an alarm on Monday that armed soldiers had besieged his Lagos residence over the weekend, stating that “no act of intimidation from the Federal Government can cause him to back down in his struggle for change in Nigeria”.

PM News reported that the soldiers were first noticed on Sunday, a few minutes to 11 pm in an army truck. They were stationed about 500 metres away from Tinubu’s gate.

“The stern looking soldiers were around for hours on Sunday and returned on Monday to continue their surveillance. Monday night about 10.45pm, they returned to the residence in two army vans and were there throughout the night, the newspaper reported.

Shehu on Thursday also reported sighting heavily armed mobile policemen amassing around in residence in Garki, Abuja.