| Source | Date | Title | Summary of Report | Subject/Category | Page No/Web link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Trust Newspaper | 15th December 2022 | Millions Of Northerners Selling PVCs For Less Than N2,000 – NEF | The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said millions of northerners who have obtained their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are selling them to politicians for less than N2,000. A statement yesterday by the Director Publicity and Advocacy of NEF, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the electorate and especially women, were being deceived to sell their PVCs for less than N2,000, an action he described as a ploy to disenfranchise some Nigerians in the North. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said politicians were buying PVCs from registered voters to harvest their Voter Identification Numbers (VIN) ahead of the elections. NEF said irrespective of which party or candidate they support, northerners must vote in next year’s election, as “this is the only way our region can reverse its current fortunes and circumstances.” Part of the statement reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed what the public has been aware of in the last few weeks. This is the widespread and targeted buying of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in many parts of the North and a few other parts of Nigeria. Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had followed this worrying phenomenon, advising community leaders and major stakeholders on the dangers of disenfranchising large numbers of citizens. We have also undertaken our own investigations, which prompted this public warning. Thousands, or possibly even millions of northern voters, particularly women, are being made to surrender their PVCs for a pittance, in most instances not more than N2000. In some instances, they are told their cards will be returned to them after they are processed for additional payments as poverty relief. No cards are returned. Our investigations suggest that this is an aggressive and blatant voter suppression attempt to reduce the voting power of the North.” | Northern Elders Forum, NEF, PVCs, Alleged selling of PVCs in the North, VIN, Voter identification Numbers | Page 12 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | 15th December 2022 | Why I Will Succeed Buhari – Kwankwaso | The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed optimism that he would win next year’s election because the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are dead and have nothing to offer Nigerians. Kwankwaso spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, when he visited the state in continuation of his campaign tour in the South West geopolitical zone ahead of the poll. Speaking at the Palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, Kwankwaso said the APC and PDP have failed the country. Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, said, “APC and PDP are dead; they are finished, and it is our party that will win next year’s presidential election by God’s grace. We are on ground in the North; we will win the polls. “Why I’m different from all presidential candidates is that I go round the country on roads, not only the state capital, not only the local government areas. This made me have first-hand information on the way and manner our people live. The NNPP is based on the talakawa (masses), voters and good people of this country who believe in us. Nigerians know the APC and the PDP very well and they have failed. The two political parties themselves know that they have failed. The only chance they have is to buy votes,” Kwankwaso said. | NNPP Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Campaign Tour, Ado-Ekiti | Page 12 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | 15th December 2022 | Tinubu, Atiku absent as Obi, Kwankwaso, others sign pact on inclusive governance | Presidential candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, were absent, yesterday, as the Labour Party (LP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined others to sign agreement on inclusive governance. Organisers of the event – Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), Youth Hub Africa (YHA) and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) – said it was a consolidated agenda to be used as an advocacy tool in the 2023 general election and beyond. YHA Board Chairman, Bukky Shonibare, said the agreement was meant to secure the commitment to legal and policy reform from the top three candidates for the presidential, National Assembly and governorship elections. Shonibare said the document would also be used by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country to demand accountability from newly-elected officials on the commitments they made on Governance Agenda for an Inclusive Nigeria (GAIN) during the public presentation. Lamenting the poor level of vulnerable groups representation in administration of the country, she said the commitment by candidates would also ensure that they make youth participation a deliberate part of national governance through affirmative action for 35 per cent of cabinet positions for youth under the ages of 45 across all states and the Federal Government. According to Obi, who decried poor representation of women and youths in the administration of the country, Nigeria cannot progress when the most productive demography are left out of government, promising that his administration, if elected in 2023, will commit to the affirmative action on women and youths, as well as the disability community. On his part, Kwankwaso, who alluded to the fact that many Nigerians are making waves in most countries, described inclusive government as the surest way to rapid development of the country. Represented by his running mate, Isaac Idahosa, he stated: “Let us now deal with the issue of inclusiveness of other political parties and kill the winner-takes-all syndrome. President of WIPF, Ebere Ifendu, emphasised that the document represented what women, youth and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) wanted from government, adding that anyone undermining the groups was not interested in winning the 2023 elections. | Pact on Inclusive Governance, WIPF, Presidential Candidates, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Ebere Ifendu | Page 4 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | 15th December 2022 | Name, prosecute politicians buying PVCs, HURIWA tells INEC | Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the details of politicians buying and storing up Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to rig the 2023 general elections. HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated, yesterday, that such politicians must be named, shamed and prosecuted immediately, as there must be no cover-up, if the electoral umpire is serious about credible elections. The group called for the speedy passage of the Bill for an Act to Establish the National Electoral Offences Commission and Related Matters 2022, which is before the House of Representatives, noting that the existence of such commission would deal with electoral offenders, including PVC buyers. INEC National Commissioner overseeing Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Haruna, had on Monday, in Abuja, raised the alarm that some politicians were buying PVCs. He also disclosed that two persons had been convicted for illegal possession of PVCs in Sokoto and Kano states. Consequently, INEC vowed to prosecute anyone caught buying or selling PVCs, warning politicians and political parties that it would not condone any illegal act. HURIWA stated: “We condemn the actions of desperate politicians buying and storing up PVCs for electoral malpractices. It is important that this method of vote-buying be punished and INEC should disqualify all those buying PVCs, arrest them and prosecute them in the courts.” | Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, Vote Buying, PVC Buying, | Page 4 | |
| This Day Newspaper | 15th December 2022 | Stakeholders Urge Nigeria’s Next President to Declare State of Emergency in Power Sector | Participants at the PwC Annual Power and Utilities Roundtable have called on next administration that would be sworn in on May 29, 2023, to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria’s power sector. The declaration of a state of emergency in the sector, according to the stakeholders, would aim at solving the lingering crisis of inadequate power supply in the country. The PwC stated that the roundtable, whose theme was, “Setting a New Power Agenda Post-2023 Elections,” revealed that “stakeholders across Nigeria’s power sector value chain, from transmission, distribution, generation and renewable energy operators, have different perspectives on the policies required to solve the challenges in the sector. “Furthermore, it was apparent that political actors often have bold ambitions that drive policymaking but sometimes are not consistent with the pragmatic realities in the industry. This misalignment hampers a collaborative approach towards solutions.” However, stakeholders at the roundtable agreed on the need to formally recognise the electric power crisis in Nigeria and for the new government post-2023 elections to convene a stakeholders’ summit. The Partner and Energy, Utilities and Resources Industry Leader, PwC Nigeria, Pedro Omontuemhen, said: “Irrespective of your political affiliation, we can all agree that electric power is critical to our development as a nation. “But there are several perspectives on the key solutions and policies that Nigeria should pursue to solve the crisis in the power sector. So there’s a need for all stakeholders and the incoming government to dimension the challenges and agree on the key policies to implement. This alignment is urgent if the incoming government is to deliver a sustainable and stable electric power supply in Nigeria.” In his keynote address, Former Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi, who delivered the keynote address titled, “How to Solve Nigeria’s Energy Problem,” reviewed the power sector policies of the presidential candidates of the three leading political parties. Amadi, however, proposed the restructuring of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the constitution of a presidential task force that would “drive power sector reforms and restructure the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to release its 4000 Megawatts generating capacity.” He also proposed extending invitations to local and international developers to sign new PPA for 800 Megawatts of solar/wind in Lagos/PH/Warri by 2025. The stakeholders also identified ongoing power sector interventions and critical and impactful reforms the incoming administration should continue to implement post-2023. | Power Sector | Page 6 | |
| This Day Newspaper | 15th December 2022 | Atiku Working to Resolve Crisis with G-5 Govs, Says Ben Obi | The chairman and director-general of Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council in Anambra State, Senator Ben Obi and Professor Obiora Okonkwo, respectively, revealed that a special team was already working to resolve the rift between the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the aggrieved governors of the party, known as G-5 Governors. Obi and Okonkwo spoke yesterday in Awka, during a pre-campaign flag-off press conference to announce Atiku’s visit today. They also presented the candidate’s itinerary for the Anambra rally. The duo, while addressing journalists, said efforts were on to reconcile Atiku and the G-5 Governors. They said the state was poised to give Atiku victory in the 2023 election. Obi said, “It is a common thing for political parties to have crisis. That is not out of place, and we have a team that is working to resolve the crisis in the PDP. This is not something we want to make public, but let me tell you that the G-5 Governors are also willing for peace. Wike (Rivers State governor) has said so. We have a team that is working on that, and for now, we are not willing to make the outcome public, but we are working.” Okonkwo also said, “Even in those states where the rifts are going on, there are still campaigns going on, and the plan is to vote PDP from top to bottom. In Abia, you have head of the five over five slogan, and all our governors are still campaigning for Atiku. In all their (G5 Governors’) demands, they have never said they have any problem with Atiku personally. It is not a matter that cannot be resolved.” | G-5 Governors, Atiku Abubakar, PDP Crisis | Page 42 | |
| Punch Online | 15th December 2022 | Afenifere group wants arm for Amotekun, backs Tinubu | The Afenifere Renewal Group has called on the Federal Government to remove all obstacles affecting the supply and use of arms by the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun. The group, led by its chairman, Olawale Oshun, made the call on Tuesday in Lagos at a press briefing marking its end-of-year deliberation. Oshun said, “We note with dismay the sustained insurgencies across the length and breadth of the country, the growing events of banditry and terrorism and the need to further strengthen the security agencies to effectively control and contain the situation across the country. “Even if the national political leadership has an aversion to confronting the insecurity situation head-on, the Yoruba leadership should not suffer same insomnia since their productive peasantry, farmers and artisans bear the burden much more than other Nigerians. After extensive consultation and deliberations, we propose an immediate decentralisation of the security apparatus in the country. Multi-level policing, characterised by federating unit police structures, must replace the present unitary policing structure in our country, according to those who desire it. We contend that except the police force, which may require a constitutional amendment, all other recommendations are within the purview of administrative reform. As the Governor’s Forum has acceded to multilevel policing, even that can be accomplished within the life of this present Buhari government. President Buhari should remove all obstacles regarding the supply and use of arms by the Amotekun security agency.” Oshun also urged Nigerians to shun ethnicity and religious differences and focus on the experience, competence and capacity of candidates before making a choice. He added that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, should be supported and voted for in the 2023 general elections. He said partly, “The rotation of national offices is an unwritten constitutional requirement in our country. Furthermore, for a complex country such as ours, the need for a patriotic, experienced, competent, and non-tribalistic manager narrows our search among the presidential candidates. ARG believes Bola Ahmed Tinubu more than any other tilts the scale, will deepen our democracy and should be supported.” | Afenifere Renewal Group, Amotekun, Bola Tinubu, Campaign for arms for Amotekun | https://bit.ly/3j0tOPf | |
| This Day Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | Alake/Onanuga’s Allegations: Obaigbena Clears Air, Challenges Them to Present Their Candidate for Debates | The Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY/ARISE NEWS Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena (CON), yesterday, responded to allegations levelled against him by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council’s (PCC) Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Bayo Onanuga and its Director, Strategic Communication, Mr. Dele Alake,and also challenged them to present their candidate, Bola Tinubu, for debates and town hall meetings in order for the electorate to interrogate his proposed policies and programmes and make informed choice on who should lead them in the 2023 election. Obaigbena, in a four-page rebuttal to an article by Onanuga and Alake, which was in response to an earlier statement by the THISDAY/ARISE News Board of Editors, titled: “Tinubu and THISDAY/ARISE Media Group and the Attack on Free Speech,” stressed that journalists were not the opponents of the APC presidential candidate in the forthcoming election. The statement titled: “Lies Have Short Legs, They Do Not Run Far – The Fake News from Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake,” and categorised into four parts, was signed by Obaigbena’s Chief of Staff, Fawuziya Mohammed. While noting that although many APC-PCC members, had personally called to dissociate themselves from the resort to blackmail, personal attacks and bullying by Alake and Onanuga, the statement noted that, “everyday the media calls on public officials and those who seek public office to account,” establishing that there was nothing personal with the APC candidate. In addition, Obaigbena stated that at ARISE News Channel and THISDAY, “We believe the narratives around Africa and Africans and the black race can only change, when we have strong global voices. To this end, he maintained that, “No misinformation, fake news of Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake will change Obaigbena’s global trajectory. The journalists at THISDAY and ARISE News Channel are doing their duty by raising pertinent questions. “Rather than addressing our questions, Alake and Onanuga countered with wild and misleading allegations and fake news. We did not dismiss their allegations and have addressed them frontally. We now challenge them to respond with facts to the legitimate questions of the Nigerian people through their media. Present your presidential candidate for Town Hall meetings, debates and interviews by the independent media that last for more than 8 minutes, and not pre-arranged Townhalls, where questions are pre-set, prearranged and rehearsed. The resort to media bullying tactics, blackmail and fake news will not work. Journalists are not your opponents in the 2023 elections. When they go low, we go high.” | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY/ARISE NEWS Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena (CON), Bola Tinubu, Presidential Townhall Debates | Page 1 & 10 | |
| This Day Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | Wike: I Would Have Won PDP Primary If it Weren’t Manipulated | Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said he would have won the May 28 presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the process had not been manipulated. Wike said this when his political associates and Rivers elders, led by the chairman, Rivers Elders Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, visited to felicitate with him on his 55th birthday. The governor said he was proud of the impact Rivers State was able to make during the presidential primary in Abuja. But he insisted that there was no rift between him and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Notwithstanding, Atiku, his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and PDP governors congratulated Wike on his 55th birthday. The Rivers State governor reiterated that the crisis in PDP had to do with the demand from the southern stakeholders that the national chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, who hails from Benue State in the North-central, should relinquish his position, since the presidential candidate was from the same region. He maintained that the demand that the north should relinquish the position of national chairman to the south remained a panacea to the problems rocking the party. Wike recalled that last year, the Rivers elders had urged him to contest for the office of the president of Nigeria. He said he heeded the advice and almost clinched the PDP presidential ticket, but for the manipulation of the process. The governor stated, “I don’t regret I ran for presidency. In the name of God, I am happy to make Rivers State proud. I am happy, as far I am concerned. If they had allowed it to be what it is supposed to be, I would have won the election. But it’s okay. It has happened. “People said because I lost election, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t lose election. This is my first time of trying to run for the president of Nigeria and we made impact. If it is easy, let them go ahead. Are they not the ones begging? I have no problem with the presidential candidate. All I am saying is, what is the interest of Rivers people? What is the interest of the South-south, and the South?”. He said the reason some of his Ikwerre kinsmen, like Celestine Omehia and former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara, were begrudging him was his insistence that it would be morally offensive for an Ikwerre man to succeed him or even emerge as PDP candidate for Rivers East senatorial district. Wike explained, “I called Austin (Opara), he sat here and I said, ‘look my, brother, leave it, it will not work.’ I don’t want to cause crisis in our system. Amaechi finished eight years as governor, I’m going to finish eight years as governor, too. It will be difficult to sell another Ikwerre person as governor for another eight years. Omehia said he wants to go to the Senate, I said leave it. Ikwerre has gone, Ogu has gone, leave Etche to go’.” | Governor Nyesom Wike, Presidential Aspirant, Presidential Primaries | Page 1 & 10 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | 2023: You’ll be disappointed, INEC forewarns PVC-buying politicians | Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, declared affirmatively that disappointment awaits politicians “still going about purchasing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)” for use on election day. The Commission also said supporters of competing presidential candidates will help their respective aspirants better if they spend the next two months before the polls rigorously convincing and mobilising registered voters to vote for their preferred candidates than “smearing the reputation of INEC with baseless conspiracy theories.” The Commission vowed: “It will not work.” In a chat with The Guardian, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, maintained that the Commission is not a political party and does not have a preferred candidate. According to him, the Commission has been preparing for the 2023 polls, since conclusion of the 2019 general elections, perfecting existing tools and introducing other innovations. He said: “These innovations are designed to ensure the integrity of the process and make it impossible for any politician or INEC staff to compromise an election in favour of any candidate. Therefore, the insinuation that some politicians are buying PVCs to rig the 2023 general election is baseless because INEC has moved very far away from the period when the Incident Form could be used for that purpose on election day. The Guardian had asked INEC to respond to a trending post, alleging that moves to buy votes could eventually “reflect on INEC’s portal…in collaboration with INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.” Explaining efforts by INEC to checkmate vote buying and other electoral malpractices, Oyekanmi said: “Recall that for the 2015 and 2019 general elections, the Commission used the Smart Card Reader (SCR) to authenticate the PVC and accredit the voter on election day via his or her fingerprint and allowed the use of the Incident Form. Unfortunately, some politicians took advantage of this waiver, bought PVCs, gave them out to their acquired voters and sent them to polling units to vote, using the Incident Form. This was one of the reasons the Commission introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the 2023 general election. The BVAS has one significant advantage over the SCR: it accredits through fingerprint and facial recognition. So, if your fingerprint fails, certainly your face will not fail. However, if the BVAS rejects your face, it means you are not an authentic voter and will not be allowed to vote. You will be asked to leave the polling station immediately. You could also be arrested for impersonation.” | INEC, PVCs, BVAS, Allegations of PVC purchase by politicians | https://bit.ly/3uN8XSj | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | Nigeria’s commonwealth hijacked by cartel, says Delta YPP guber candidate | Niger Delta activist and Delta State governorship candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Sunny Ofehe, has alleged that Nigeria’s commonwealth has been taken over by a cartel. Speaking during a rally in Ughelli, the Netherland-based activist said he felt sorry for Nigerians for their suffering. He said: “Whenever I come back to this country, I feel very sorry for Nigeria and for our people because a certain group of persons, a cartel, has taken over your commonwealth. It is time for you to stand up, stretch your hand and reclaim what rightfully belong to you. There is no better time to do this than having an opportunity to vote, through the powers of your PVC on the March 11, 2023. We have a state that God has richly blessed, we have a state that does not have any reason to produce poor people. We have a state that does not have reason to produce people who cannot go to school. We have a state, which does not have any reason to produce people that cannot feed themselves. But unfortunately, some people have decided to play gods in your lives. They have extorted you; they have taken what rightly belongs to you. They’ve left you in penury; they have left you in poverty,” Ofehe said. He promised to give free medical access to women, particularly the pregnant ones, adding that the free medical access also covers newborn babies up till the age of five, among others. | YPP Delta State Governorship Candidate, Sunny Ofehe, Campaign Promises | Page 27 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | South East: PVCs Collection In Slow Start Amid Rising Insecurity | The distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, took off at a low pace in the South East amid rising insecurity in the region. Daily Trust reports that the exercise which started on Monday nationwide is coming days after the region has witnessed a wave of attacks by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, enforcing the five-day sit-at-home order issued by the self-styled spokesperson of the outlawed group, Simon Ekpa. The exercise started on Tuesday in most states in the region. It was observed that while the distribution of PVCs is yet to start in some local government areas of Imo State, other areas witnessed low turnout. Daily Trust correspondent reported that the INEC office at Amaigbo, headquarters of Nwangele Local Government Area, was under lock and key. No INEC official was around, but an official of the magistrates’ court opposite the office told our correspondent that officials of the commission have been telling registrants to come back next Tuesday. INEC’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Dr Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji, promised to look into why the office was under lock and key. However, at Owerri Municipal, INEC officials were idle as only few people turned up to collect their PVCs. Daily Trust correspondent gathered that most residents of rural communities were afraid to go to INEC offices because of Monday’s attack on the Owerri head office of the commission. Meanwhile, INEC said a total of 132, 626 PVCs belonging to registered voters across the 21 local government areas are yet to be collected. This was disclosed by the state Resident Electoral Commission (REC) of the commission, Dr (Mrs) Elizabeth Agwu, during a consultative meeting with stakeholders in Awka, Anambra State capital. She gave the details of areas of uncollected PVCs in each of the 21 LGAs as follows: Ogbaru with the highest number of unclaimed PVCs of 16,755, Idemili-North 16,256; Aguata 12,675; Onitsha South 12,274; Onitsha North 9,990; Nnewi North 8,700; Anambra East 7,717; Oyi 7,582 and Njikoka 7,009. Other are Orumba South 6,566; Awka- South 4,539; Ihiala 4,058; Ekwusigo 3,350; Orumba North 2,393; Nnewi South 1,841 and Awka North 1,543 while Anaocha has the least with 885 unclaimed PVCs. It was observed that some residents defied the threat of a sit-at-home order to pick up their PVCs. “We must vote the bad ones out now. Either sit at home or no sit at home, we must come out to do the right thing,” Miss Nnoruka Obike said. However, the exercise recorded an impressive turnout at the commission’s office in Umuahia North Local Government Area (LGA). A cross-section of the people who collected theirs lauded INEC for working according to its time table. Those who registered earlier as well as others that applied for transfer got theirs. However, those who registered late were advised to wait for their cards to be ready. | PVC Collection in South-East, PVC | Page 3 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | I’ll Restore Peace, Improve Mining In Plateau – Atiku | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to restore peace and improve mining activities in Plateau State if elected. Atiku made the pledge on Tuesday at the PDP presidential rally in Jos, the state capital. He also promised to reconstruct federal roads linking Plateau and other neighbouring states. He said, “Despite the strategic position of Plateau State in the country, roads linking it with other parts of the country have become death traps and unmotorable. We will construct all roads linking Plateau and other neighbouring states because the APC has failed to construct them. If the people of Plateau want peace, they should vote for PDP. We promise you that we will restore peace to Plateau,” he said. The presidential candidate said Plateau was renowned for its nice weather and ambience, a potential that could generate millions of dollars to benefit the people and the state’s economy if showcased””. “Our government, working hand in hand with the state government, would work to improve tourism nationwide to enhance internally-generated revenue and improve the lot of the people,” he said. He, however, said if elected president, his administration would not marginalise any group but ensure that every part of the country got adequate federal appointments. | Atiku Abubakar, Campaign Promises, Plateau State, PDP Rally in Jos | Page 14 | |
| This Day Newspaper | 14th December 2022 | Obi in Kogi, Pledges to Make Nigeria Producing Nation | In bid to revive the ailing Nigerian economy, presidential standard bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has pledged to move the country from a consuming nation to producing one. Obi, who made the promise while addressing a crowd of party faithful at his campaign rally at the Confluence stadium, Lokoja on yesterday, said, “It is a promise for I and my team are prepared to be held accountable. For that, we will move Nigeria from a consuming nation to a producing one. “We will make sure that production starts from local level; we will increase minimum wage since the minimum wage today can hardly sustain workers; we should be able to produce enough for consumption and even export to create wealth. “Good people of Kogi State, we are not here to buy your vote; we are here to tell you how we are going to save the country; we want to unite Nigeria; we want to bring the family back together; we want to bring back the rule of law. We will consult you before taking any decision on any matter that affects you because power belong to you. Obi also promised to ensure the the steel industry was revived to give strong backing to the economy. “Steel industry is very important to the development of the Economy, therefore, we will liaise with professional and experts, who know what to do with the Ajaokuta steel company immediately we are sworn in,” he said. | Peter Obi, Campaign Promises, Kogi State | Page 43 | |
| The Punch Online | 7th December 2022 | Diaspora Nigerians sue INEC over poll | Nigerians living in the United Kingdom and various parts of the world who have attained voting age have dragged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the Independent National Electoral Commission to a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking enforcement of their fundamental rights to vote in the 2023 general elections. The plaintiffs, in the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/2119/2022, are asking the court to stop Buhari and INEC from further proceeding with the 2023 elections until the commission’s voter register and bio-data base were updated to accommodate them as registered voters. According to the court processes obtained by journalists on Tuesday, the plaintiffs in the suit are Chikwe Nkemnacho and Kenneth Azubuike Nkemnacho, both residents of the UK but instituted the suit on behalf of other Nigerians in the diaspora. The plaintiffs in the suit filed on their behalf by Augustine Temfeh-Nkemnacho, are asking the court to declare that they are entitled to participate in the electoral process by being registered to vote in 2023 and in all elections wherever they were domiciled worldwide in line with Sections 13, 14, 42 and 17 of the 1999 constitution. They also sought another declaration by the court to the effect that there is still sufficient time for INEC to comply with provisions of Sections 13, 14 and 15 of the 1999 Constitution. The plaintiffs canvassed that unless they are allowed to vote in the 2023 elections and subsequent ones, their fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution would be grossly violated. Justice Inyang Ekwo, billed to hear the suit, has fixed January 19, 2023, for its mention and to allow the defendants to file their respective responses. The four defendants in the suit are INEC, the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Buhari and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as first to fourth defendants respectfully. | Diaspora voting, Court Suit | https://bit.ly/3UEByDM | |
| The Nation Online | 7th December 2022 | Tinubu: I’m candidate to beat, that’s why attacks are coming | All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential standard bearer Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday described himself as the candidate to beat in next year’s election. He said there was no contender for the highest office who can match his track record. The eminent politician spoke on his records, wealth and the economy in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Africa Service, monitored by The Nation. Also yesterday, the APC Presidential Campaign Council dissected the manifesto of the Labour Party (LP) candidate, saying it cannot offer any refreshing relief to Nigerians. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was not impressed by Tinubu’s performance at the Chatham House, London, on Monday. The Director of Strategic Communication of Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation, Dele Momodu, said in a statement that it was “a complete charade”. But, the APC Presidential Campaign Council defended Tinubu, saying he demonstrated capacity, competence, experience and the worth of leadership. Describing himself as the most competent candidate, Tinubu said other contenders were not up to the task. Expressing optimism that next year’s polls will be free and fair, Tinubu said: “Things are going very well. I’m very confident that this election will be free and fair. I’m the frontrunner, and that’s why I’m getting many arrows. “My top priorities are security, and economic recovery to accelerate development to get Nigerians employed and get inflation down. You know, monetary policy needs to be changed. Subsidy needs to be decided upon and then, removed. | Bola Tinubu, APC Presidential Candidate, Interview | https://bit.ly/3Peo8NK | |
| This Day Online | 7th December 2022 | Atiku: Tinubu’s Chatham House Appearance Comparable Only to Standup Comedy | Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, took a swipe at his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Bola Tinubu, saying his appearance at the Chatham House, was comparable only to a comedian’s visit. At the same time, the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), has also described Tinubu’s presence at the Chatham House as one of the saddest moments for Nigeria on the global stage, saying the people should weep not for Tinubu but the country. Similarly, one of the spokespersons of the PDP Presidential Campaign Management Committee, Senator Dino Melaye, has said Tinubu only advertised incapacity and inefficiency at the Chatham House event. In a statement titled: “2023: A Comedian Visits Chatham House” and signed by Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the PDP presidential hopeful stated that Tinubu’s performance was disgraceful. According to him, while Tinubu was expected to sell himself to voters at the event, he ended up doing the opposite. Atiku stressed that Tinubu avoided engagements at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce Industry (LCCI); evaded the town hall organised by the Alumni Association of the Lagos Business School (LBS) and that of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He said, rather than reveal how he would tackle insecurity, Tinubu called on Governor Nasir el-Rufai to answer the question on his behalf, noting that for clarity, the Kaduna governor recorded 1,192 civilian killings alone in 2021, almost leveling with that of war-torn Syria and therefore not qualified to speak on the issue. | Political banters, Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential Candidate, APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu | https://bit.ly/3HfqFoM | |
| This Day Online | 7th December 2022 | Sultan: Let’s Trust Buhari on Promise for Credible 2023 Elections | The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday, asked Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari to his word that he would ensure peaceful and credible election in 2023. But the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Co-Chairman of NIREC, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said there were still doubts being expressed by people about Nigeria’s capacity and political will to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections next year. This, nonetheless, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, ruled out the possibility that the 2023 general election could be manipulated. But the Sultan, who was the Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC),said, during the NIREC 4th Quarter 2022 meeting in Abuja that president Buhari’s firm promise to deliver a credible election next year should serve enough reason for Nigerians to feel free to exercise their civic duties and vote for a candidate of their choice. He dismissed the notion that 2023 election was a make or break for Nigeria, stating that it was only God that could decide the fate of Nigeria. “The other day the president visited Sokoto Palace and said openly of his commitment to peaceful, credible election in Nigeria, he directed the military and other security forces to ensure peaceful, free and fair election. If the president had said so, will anybody go and do otherwise. If he said so, I have no reason not to believe him,” he said. The Sultan, who said a lot of people were disturbed by the alarm raised by foreign nations about the situation in Nigeria, said some of the foreign countries raising the alarms about problems in Nigeria had more serious issues to contend with””. On the fears that the 2023 election would be make or break election for Nigeria, Sultan said: “I don’t believe in that, I refuse to believe in that. It is just an election; people will go out, cast their vote in peace and whoever emerges the leader will be the leader of this country. So, I don’t believe it is a make or break election, and we must not play into the hands of those elements of Nigeria, who keep on parading those issues as this is the election that will decide the fate of this nation, only Allah decides the fate of this country.” | Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, Credible Elections | https://bit.ly/3FuIq2b | |
| Daily Post Online | 7th December 2022 | 2023: Gov Diri warns politicians against blackmail, propaganda | Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has cautioned political actors to desist from character assassination and blackmails in their quest for power in the state. Diri said it was appalling how desperate politicians in the state have resorted to maligning the character of opposition party contestants and members in the guise of political campaigns. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying that elections would come and go but the people would remain brothers and sisters. He stressed that the best path to living a long and fulfilled life was showing love and appreciation for one another. Governor Diri emphasised that as long as power comes only from God, nobody can overturn what has been divinely ordained for the state. He said: “Political times are here and there is so much in the air – propaganda, lies and blackmails. You do not know which one to believe anymore. The fact you want a political office should not make you to malign the character of another person. Elections will come and go, as I always say, but we will all remain brothers and sisters. For me, the best path to tread and best way towards living the kind of life that we are celebrating today is to continue to show love and appreciation. No matter who is blocking it, when God says this is yours, nobody can stop it”. | Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, Campaigns and Elections | https://bit.ly/3Fvcb2K | |
| Daily Post Online | 7th December 2022 | I’m not working for APC – Kaduna LP guber candidate, Asake debunks rumour | The 2023 gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Kaduna State, Mr Jonathan Asake, says he is not in the race to scuttle the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC, to win in the state. According to him, “My aspiration to be a governor is not a joke, I am a serious contender for Sir Kashim Ibrahim House and remained highly optimistic to win the election next year.” Speaking on Tuesday in Kaduna when he faced the political committee panel of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), he said he has what it takes to bring the people of the state out of their present predicaments. The gubernatorial candidate explained that he had heard the strange rumour that he only wanted to block the PDP for the APC to win, saying that it is not true. He asked, “If the PDP truly believed that Southern Senatorial zone is theirs why have they not zoned the party’s governorship ticket to the zone since 1999?” He explained that now that the LP has zoned the office of the governor to the southern senatorial zone, the PDP has suddenly become jittery, and they are spreading disinformation about his candidacy. | Kaduna State LP Governorship candidate , Jonathan Asake | https://bit.ly/3F11rYA | |
| The Cable | 7th December 2022 | Atiku visits Ooni of Ife, asks Nigerians to give PDP ‘another opportunity’ | Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on Nigerians to give his party “another opportunity” during the 2023 elections. Atiku said the country enjoyed its “greatest growth” when the PDP was in power for 16 years. The PDP standard bearer spoke on Tuesday when he visited the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at his palace in Ile-Ife, Osun state. “You’ll all recall that from 1999 to 2015, Nigeria witnessed its greatest growth, biggest prosperity and peaceful coexistence during the PDP era,” he said. We believe it is time for you, the people of this country to give us another opportunity again so that we can restore the unity of this country. So that we can secure this country again, make the nation more prosperous than any other country in the continent of Africa. If the mandate is given to PDP, the unity, peace and stability will be achieved across the nation which will lead to government of national unity.” Atiku also reiterated his plan to restructure the country if elected president, noting that it is the only way to guarantee growth and progress. “It is only when we have peaceful coexistence in the country unity that we’ll be able to undertake most of our cardinal programmes,” he said. “And one of our cardinal programmes that we promise people of this country is to restructure this nation, some people are saying that how can a northerner restructure this country”. | Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential Candidate, Campaign promises | https://bit.ly/3Y2KmWV | |
| This Day newspaper | 6th December 2022 | May 29, 2023 Handover Date is Sacrosanct, Buhari Assures Nigerians | President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, reiterated his commitment to handing over the leadership of the country to an elected president on May 29, 2023, saying his term in office would end on that day in line with the constitution of the country. This is as the federal government has condemned the opposition parties over what it described as “increasing tendency” by some of them to downplay the achievements of the Buhari-administration, in their quest for power, ahead of the 2023 elections. The government, which particularly picked on the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar identified him as ‘’the worst offender’’ in this regard, arguing that if anyone would accuse the APC-led government of doing nothing, it should not be Atiku. Speaking yesterday while playing host to the Kingdom of Morocco’s Minister of National Education, Pre-School and Sports, Mr Shakib Ben Musa, as Special Envoy of King Mohammed the VI, at the State House, Abuja, Buhari reiterated that his term of office would end with the inauguration of a new president in May next year. This, nonetheless, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke at the seventh edition of the ‘PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023), which featured the Minister of Water Resources, Sulieman Adamu, yesterday, in Abuja, said during his recent campaign in Akure, Atiku was quoted as saying the APC had not done anything for Nigeria in eight years. “What a preposterous statement from somebody, who should know! I guess we can excuse His Excellency, the former vice-president who, until recently, had fully relocated to Dubai, thus losing touch with Nigeria. And if anyone would accuse the APC-led federal government of doing nothing, it should not be Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Why? Because for the 16 years of the PDP rule, eight of which Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was vice-president, there was no motorable road to the former VP’s hometown and indeed to key local governments in the Southern Senatorial zone that served as Adamawa’s food basket and economic nerve centre until the government of President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office”. | President Buhari, Commitment to handover | Page 1 & 10 | |
| This Day newspaper | 6th December 2022 | Tinubu: Nigeria’s Next President Should Be Determined By Voters | Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, yesterday, said the 2023 presidential election should be determined by voters freely making their choice rather than the domineering intimidation of a troublesome few. Tinubu, who stated this at the Chatham House, London, where he went to speak, however, kicked against all forms of electoral violence and intimidation ahead of the 2023 elections. But Tinubu’s Chatham House experience was almost marred by protests led by a former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, who claimed Tinubu was unfit to be Nigeria’s president, citing many reasons, including his alleged shady past. At the same time, the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation, yesterday, mocked Tinubu over what it described as his pathetic display of vacuity at the Chatham House, adding that answering questions through proxies was a national disgrace. This is as a senior minister in the government, who pleaded anonymity, yesterday, warned that rule by proxies or surrogates, was dangerous for the health of the country, stressing that the nation could not afford to return to a system, where unelected persons would tell the nation what to do and what not to do. However, addressing a cross-section of audience, Tinubu, who said having spent most of his career in the political opposition, he had long fought against electoral malpractice and any attempts to extinguish the legitimate choice of voters, while assuring them that he would continue to do so. Although Tinubu struggled with his responses during the question and answer session, he practically conceded nearly all the questions posed to him to members of his team, who in turn answered for him, citing what he described as the spirit of “teamship”. Some of those who stood in his place, to address the questions, included the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade; his former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake and his former finance counterpart, Wale Edun. But the former Lagos State governor, who spoke on the topic: “Nigeria’s 2023 elections: Security and economic development and its foreign policy imperatives”, in a statement in London, signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, was of the opinion that the sovereign will of the people always decided the path of the nation. He said Nigeria would epitomise values of democracy during elections anywhere in Africa, by ensuring that democratic ideals were followed and all forms of electoral violence rejected, allowing only the will of the people to prevail. His words: “Every election, wherever it is held, is important to the people or entity directly concerned. It is also important to the global democracy community as well. Equally, there are also countries whose elections, on account of their weight and influence, carry wider implications way beyond their immediate geographical boundaries. Nigeria is one of such countries. I stand firmly against all forms of electoral violence and intimidation. Having spent most of my career in the political opposition, I have long fought against electoral malpractice and any attempts to extinguish the legitimate choice of voters. I will continue to do so. And I urge all my fellow contestants in this election to do the same. Let the sovereign will of the people decide the path of our nation. And let this election be determined by voters making their choice freely rather than the domineering intimidation of the troublesome few”. | Bola Tinubu, APC Presidential Candidate, Chatham House, London, Interview | Page 1 & 10 | |
| The Guardian newspaper | 6th December 2022 | Elections not our priority now as a nation, says Emmanuel | Presiding Pastor Livingspring Chapel International, Femi Emmanuel, yesterday, warned Nigerians against investing so much in another general elections next year without resolving the fundamental issues of Constitution change, which he described as the bane of the nation’s growth, development and peaceful co-existence. The cleric warned that the 2023 elections like others conducted in the past would not change the fortune of Nigeria for good. He specifically said that none of the major players currently out or that have been presented to run for the various elective positions has what it takes to redeem the country under the current warped and lopsided 1999 Constitution. Emmanuel also urged the current State Houses of Assembly in the 36 states not to pass the ongoing constitution amendment bill, saying that what the country needed was not an amendment to the 1999 Constitution but a complete change with one that would have referendum and voice of the people. He said: “The heat is on for the upcoming 2023 elections, but in my sincere view, as a person who has been involved in Nigeria’s political affairs up to being elected as the Deputy Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly between 1992 and 1993, election is not our priority now as a nation. I am not just a pastor, I have been in the political trenches and I know how Nigerian democracy works. It is like putting the cart before the horse and postponing evil days. What our country needs now is a rearrangement to establish fairness, justice and equity.” “The country has been operating a unitary system of government, which we deceptively called democracy. Our constitution is not a democratic constitution. It is like a military decree.” “1999 Constitution is a fraud. The Nigerian constitution as earlier stated forced the dominance of a particular ethnic group over and above the other ethnic groups in the country. It has more states and local councils, as well as more seats in the Senate and House of Representatives. By that fraud, no bill passes in the National Assembly if it is not in favour of the dominant group”” He, therefore, urged Christians to get involved in politics, saying that the church can no longer stand aloof. | Pastor Livingspring Chapel International, Femi Emmanuel, Consitution Amendment, 2023 Elections | Page 5 | |
| The Guardian newspaper | 6th December 2022 | INEC: Elections can’t be conducted in an atmosphere of violence | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is practically impossible to conduct elections and electoral activities successfully in an atmosphere of violence. It said Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections, banditry and other forms of armed conflict. Consequently, the Commission said a nine-nation conference of Electoral Commissions and election experts is holding this week in Ouagadougou, involving the host, Burkina Faso, as well as Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo from West Africa; and the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo from Central Africa. INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said this at a meeting with United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) held in Abuja on Monday. He stressed that the Commission appreciates UNOWAS work in the areas of preventive diplomacy, political mediation and facilitation in West Africa and the Sahel. These are critical conditions for peace. Election Management Bodies are major beneficiaries of your work. This is because elections and electoral activities cannot be successfully conducted in an atmosphere of violence. For this reason, INEC always appreciates the role of UNOWAS in our sub-region and the Sahel. At different fora, Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections, particularly with regard to insurgency, banditry, and other forms of armed conflict. Nigeria will be making two presentations at the Conference””. “We are aware of the importance of our elections to Nigeria, our sub-region and the world. We assure you that the Commission will not fail the nation and the international community. We will continue to make incremental improvement to our electoral process supported by the deployment of appropriate and relevant technology that will make voter accreditation and result management more credible and transparent.” | INEC, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Electoral Violence | Page 2 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | 6th December 2022 | Protect Our Facilities, INEC Begs Nigerians | Following the spate of attacks on its offices in parts of the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission yesterday appealed to Nigerians to see its facilities as national assets and protect them ahead of the 2023 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the plea at a meeting with the West Africa Elders’ Forum held at INEC headquarters in Abuja. The delegation was led by a former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, and a former Vice President of Gambia, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang. Yakubu said, “There are a few areas of concern, the main one being the prevailing insecurity in the country. In less than two weeks, three of our local government offices were attacked across the country, bringing the total number of such attacks to seven in the last four months. While we want to reassure Nigerians that we’ll recover from these attacks, and the election will proceed as scheduled, we’d like to appeal to all citizens to see the commission’s facilities as national assets. It’s our collective responsibility to join hands in protecting them. The attacks must stop and the perpetrators must be swiftly apprehended and prosecuted. I must add that with respected leaders of the region coming together as elders for credible elections, I’m confident that there’ll be less of mediation in conflict situations and more of election observation missions in peacetime.” | Arson, Burning of INEC Facilities, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, West Africa Elders’ Forum | Page 33 | |
| This Day newspaper | 6th December 2022 | At Lagos Rally, Atiku Pledges Devolution of Powers | Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, at his rally in Lagos, pledged to devolve more powers to states and local government. Atiku, who seized the opportunity of the rally to pick on his main rival and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, told Lagosians that the former Lagos State governor lied when he claimed to have built the state. But one of the spokespersons of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign, Festus Keyamo, has said it was Atiku, who goofed, because indeed, Tinubu built modern Lagos. Speaking at the Lagos rally, which took place at the Tafawa Belewa Square, Atiku said, “We will give your states and local governments more power and resources. “It is up to you to hold them responsible. Therefore, the people of Lagos it is high time you took your destiny into your own hands for your own future, not for the future of one family. For in the last 23 years, you are governed by one family. It is your right and your duty to take over that governance and hand it over to yourselves that is what the PDP stands for,” Atiku said. “People were asking me where I am going to get the money. If I privatise the Port Harcourt refinery, Warri refinery, and Kaduna refinery, I will get the money. So, let me also promise you, if you elect me, we are going to restructure this country; what do we mean by restructuring?” he asked. | Devolution of powers, Campaigns, Campaign promises, Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential Candidate | Page 1 & 10 | |
| Vanguard Online | 6th December 2022 | We’re not responsible for attacks on INEC facilities, IPOB tells police | The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said it was not behind the recent attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as accused by the Nigeria Police. IPOB, therefore, accused the police of blackmail, reiterating that the group was “not interested in this Nigeria’s forthcoming elections in 2023.” The Imo State Police Command said the gunmen that attacked the INEC office in Oru West local government of the state on Sunday were IPOB members and its militia wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN). Mike Abattam, the state police spokesperson said the assailants used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to attack the electoral body’s facility. Reacting on Monday, IPOB’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement said, the Nnamdi Kanu-led group had no hand in the attack. “We, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu wish to disassociate ourselves from the recent attacks on the INEC office in Owerri Imo State. Neither IPOB nor ESN operatives has anything to do with Nigeria’s elections in 2023. We have never supported nor involved ourselves in any election obstruction or violence as a movement. As of today, IPOB is not interested in Nigeria and its electoral activities and has never asked anyone to carry out any attack on our behalf,” the statement partly said. Nigeria Government and her security agencies are working day and night to blackmail IPOB’s self-determination movement. There has never been any time that Nigeria Police carried out any public inquiry on all the numerous attacks and arsons that they blamed IPOB for. ESN operatives never attacked the INEC office because we are not interested in this Nigeria’s forthcoming election in 2023. Those attacking INEC facilities are working to blackmail IPOB,” IPOB added. | Arson, Burning of INEC Facilities, IPOB, ESN, IPOB’s Statement on Attacks of INEC offices | https://bit.ly/3uLMlSd<>/> | |