The Meaning of Direct Primary Elections

The Meaning of Direct Primary Elections

The Senate and House of Representatives recently unanimously approved Direct Primary Elections for all political parties for the emergence of their candidates for general elections.

*What To Know*

1. EVERY REGISTERED PARTY MEMBER CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARIES (ELECTION/SELECTION OF PARTY CANDIDATES).

2. IT IS CARRIED OUT AT (POLITICAL) WARD LEVEL; ALL WARDS OF THE STATE.

3. THE WARD CHAIRMEN AND SECRETARIES WILL BE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING THE PRIMARIES.

4. THE ELECTORAL ACT STIPULATES THAT RESULTS SHALL BE TRANSMITTED ELECTRONICALLY.

5.  DELEGATES AND SPECIAL DELEGATES ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVELY CANCELLED.

6. POLITICAL PARTIES SHALL APPOINT RETURNING OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR FINAL COLLATION OF RESULTS.

7. INEC SHALL BE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUPERVISION OF THE CONDUCT OF THE PRIMARIES AT ALL LEVELS.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARIES;

1. IDENTIFY YOUR POLITICAL UNIT/WARD;

2. IDENTIFY THE WARD CHAIRMAN OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY IN YOUR LGA;

3. APPROACH YOUR WARD PARTY CHAIRMAN TO REGISTER YOU AS A PARTY MEMBER;

(REMEMBER THAT IT IS YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO REGISTER WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY OF YOUR CHOICE; NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DENY YOU REGISTRATION WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY; AND IF YOU ARE DENIED, YOU CAN DUTIFULLY REGISTER YOUR COMPLAINT WITH A COURT OF LAW; THIS WILL SERVE AS A BASIS FOR LITIGATION IN AN ELECTION TRIBUNAL.

4. ONCE REGISTERED, YOU ARE GOING TO BE ISSUED WITH A MEMBERSHIP CARD OR IDENTIFICATION (ALL POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE MEMBERS IDENTIFICATION)

5. THE MEMBERSHIP CARD OR IDENTIFICATION MUST HAVE THE SIGNATURE(S) OF THE FOLLOWING:

i) National Chairman

ii) National Secretary

iii) National Organizing Secretary

iv) Ward Chairman

v) Ward Secretary

6. TRACK AND KNOW THE PARTY PRIMARIES SCHEDULE, WHICH WILL BE RELEASED BY INEC AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, AND PRESENT YOUR CARD FOR ACCREDITATION AND SUBSEQUENT PARTICIPATION ON THE DAY.

7. JOIN AND VOTE THE CANDIDATE OF YOUR CHOICE, AND WAIT (IF YOU DESIRE) FOR THE COUNTING, E-TRANSMISSION, AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RESULTS AFTER ELECTION.

Further Clarification

The direct primaries clause was adopted, no doubt, to promote internal democracy in party politics.

The indirect primaries has enabled a few political power brokers to hijack party platforms, at the expense of the majority, by only allowing some carefully selected party delegates to elect select candidates.

Thus, the direct primaries has the following elements:

— Everyone (so long as he/she is a registered party member) can participate in the election/selection process of party candidates.

— Unlike indirect primaries, which is organized in a particular selected venue, and is often restricted to only delegates, the direct primaries takes place at ward levels. This means that all political wards will simultaneously hold the primaries in a state.

— The Ward Chairman and Secretaries will be responsible for conducting and supervising the primaries; They will liaise with the party returning officers and INEC to conduct the primaries in their respective wards.

P-Square Brothers Reunite in US

P-Square Brothers Reunite in US

 

P-Square are Nigerian R&B duo of identical twin brothers Peter Okoye and Paul Okoye. (Born on November 18, 1981).

P-Square signed a record distribution deal with Universal Music Group.

P-Square has released 85 Songs in total. On 25 September 2017, numerous media outlets reported that the group disbanded.

Reports about a breakup surfaced after Peter reportedly sent a termination letter to the group’s lawyer.

Before this report, the duo disbanded in 2016, supposedly over a disagreement about the role of their manager Jude Okoye, who is also their brother.

After the disagreement, they both went separate ways and produce their songs differently with different stage name while a one answers Mr. P, another answers Rude Boy.

Recently on Instagram, The P-Square brother follows each other back on Instagram. This means that the twins have resolved their issues and has reunited!

Peter Okoye Takes His Twin Brother, Rudeboy’s Kids Shopping In The US.

To further take the reconciliation effort further¸Peter Okoye, who is also known as Mr. P, recently put aside his differences with his twin brother, Paul Okoye aka Rudeboy.

He put the differences aside as he paid a visit to Paul’s family in the US.

Peter took Paul’s kids to the mall, drove Paul’s daughter Nadia around in a cart, and got the kids tons of gifts.

Anita Okoye, who has filed for divorce from her husband Paul, shared the video online and thanked Peter for the visit.

Bayelsa Court Jail Monday Excel for 3 yrs over Amnesty Stipends Embezzlement

Bayelsa Court Jail Monday Excel for 3 yrs over Amnesty Stipends Embezzlement

Yenagoa____ A Magistrate Court 5 sitting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital has found guilty an ex-militant leader, Toriomo Yerindidese popularly known along the creeks of the Niger Delta region as Commander Monday Excel, over the theft of N65, 000 Monthly stipends of three beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The ex-militant leader was dragged to the Court by the State Police prosecution team led by Suokiri Johnson Odonbadei Esq in a suit numbered YMC/469C/2019 and a four count charge of conspiracy to steal and stealing was brought against him.

The presiding Magistrate, Bai Obiri, after hearing the arguments of the defence and prosecuting counsels found ex-militant leader, Toriomo Yerindidese popularly known along the creeks of the region as Commander Monday Excel guilty of count 2, 3 and 4 charges of stealing.

 

But the Court exonerated him of the first count charge of conspiring with unidentified persons to steal.

 

In his ruling, Magistrate Bai Obiri, sentenced him to three years imprisonment but with an option of N250,000 on each conviction of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th counts.

It was gathered that the State Police Command dragged an ex-militant leader, Toriomo Yerindidese popularly known as Commander Monday Excel to court after a petition over his alleged involvement in the stealing of N9.3 million monthly stipends belonging to three ex-militants in the First Phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

He was reported to have diverted 48 months stipends of three ex-militants, amounting to N65,000 per month for each beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

We gathered that three angry beneficiaries, Timipa Ismael, Gbalepre Oyiri and Ejiro Okorin, had written a petition in 2019 to the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State over the alleged diversion of their stipends.

IPDI Blasts ltsekiri Group, says Tompolo Never lnvaded Ogborodo Communities

IPDI Blasts ltsekiri Group, says Tompolo Never lnvaded Ogborodo Communities

13th November, 2021

REJOINDER:TOMPOLO NEVER INVADED OGBORODO, OTHER ITSEKIRI COMMUNITIES. DISREGARD SUCH MISCHIEF PEDDLED BY SOME ITSEKIRI INDIGENES

•IWERE GROUP BE CALLED TO ORDER

Our attention has been drawn to a frivolous, defamatory,  libellous, malicious, mischievous and faceless report titled: "TOMPOLO'S INVASION OF UGBORODO COMMUNITY UNDER THE OVER LORDSHIP OF THE OLU OF WARRI: AN OPEN DECLARATION OF WAR", a statement accredited to a charlatan and lackadaisical Movement For the Protection of the IWERE Homeland, Development and history, (MPIHDH ) where the authors alleged, under the influence of drugs and alcohol that our revered leader, Tompolo invaded UGBORODO community with militants bearing arms.

Ordinarily, it is not our style to respond to every dick and harry parading under fictitious identity but the need for the response is necessitated for the purpose of the record as regards the wild misinformation and twisting of facts canvassed in the faceless report.

We make bold to state that it is only insane, and people suffering from dementia that could author such a concocted and beriberi write up, as there was no time TOMPOLO invaded UGBORODO community with militants, a purported incident the security operatives are not aware of. This is a mischief. It is inciting and provocative. The falsehood carriers should be wary of the implications of their action.

It is shameful that the authors refused to disclose what Itsekiri have done to Tompolo to warrant him to have invaded UGBORODO community. They failed to tell the public the date and how many houses were burnt during the invasion. They failed to disclose how many persons were killed in the invasion and these make their entire writeup useless and baseless. 

It is shocking that this is coming from a revered Itsekiri kingdom, as such is a complete rascality which is capable of beating the ember of discord. We felt Itsekiri would applaud Tompolo for chasing away and disarming suspected notorious criminal gang terrorizing UGBORODO community and other parts of Warri South West and North Local Government Areas and their waterways.

It should be noted that genuine people do not hide face and identity when they make bold statements. But for the fact that the writers failed to indicate their identities shows that they may be members of MK criminal gang who were terrorising the waterways. It is only insanity that will make such wild allegation without taking recourse to the implications. This is a mischief making and could only have been perpetrated by criminal elements. This could be a ploy to distract security agents and Tompolo of their efforts to get rid of criminality in the waterways but Tompolo is too big to be distracted by this cheap blackmails.

However, it could have been better Itsekiri comes out to say MK invaded UGBORODO community, because we have heard of stories of that nature in that area in the recent times, but using that to blackmail an innocent man is provocative and unacceptable.

Itsekiri is a kingdom of refined people. But if these charlatan characters are the people holding brief for Itsekiri kingdom, it means something is wrong somewhere. Tompolo is a peace loving man. He has demonstrated it in several fronts in this resolve. Don't peddle mischief about a person because of your primordial hatred for the person.

It is no longer a news that UGBORODO creek has been a hub of criminals and were cleared of criminal elements by security operatives in the  recent times. We wish to state that the Itsekiris who are sponsoring and harbouring criminals are blackmailing Tompolo to create a room for their nefarious activities should know that there was no time Tomololo invaded UGBORODO Community. 

It is correct to state that those faceless Itsekiri marauders could be members of MK gang that killed soldiers and ran away with the military gun boat. Also suspected to be part of criminals who killed about 5 of Egbema peace Corp members. They should know that there is no hiding place for them no matter highly placed they are.

Again, the cheap blackmailers said Tompolo hates Itsekiri. This is funny, but well-meaning Itsekiris know how much Tompolo loves Itsekiri kingdom. He never hated Itsekiri. Except Itsekiri kingdom is expressing hatred for the man for no cause. Don't declare innocent man your enemy. One thing we know is that the sound of the evil drum will not sound. We are beginning to see the voice of Jacob with the hand of Esau.

We doubt whether this is really a voice from Itsekiri.

It should be noted again that Tompolo is not contesting for governorship, neither has preferred aspirant in Delta governorship race as insinuated by the Itsekiri blackmailers. Except such faceless criminals are poor students of history, it is the Ijaws that helped the minority Itsekiri to produce governor in 2007. If truly one good turn deserves another, we should be applauded and those criminals should shut up their mouths and hide their faces in shame.

It is worthy of note that the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom is a revered king and should be addressed properly. The Itsekiri sponsored voices should be guided because the manner you address people's king, that will be the way your king will be addressed also.

It should be also noted that Sarabuowei Community is not an Itsekiri settlement. Historically, Sarabuowei is an Ijaw deity worshipped by Gbaramatu kingdom from time immemorial. The name of the settlement was named after the deity which is still worshipped till date. Therefore Itsekiri trouble makers and blackmailers be warned.

In conclusion, we want to state unequivocally that well-meaning Itsekiri leaders should call the Iwere group to order to avoid animosity among Itsekiri kingdom and Ijaws of Delta State as we will not take it likely if this madness continues.

Signed

Comrade Ozobo Austin

National president, Ijaw People's Development Initiative, IPDI.

Delta 2023: In Ijaw Cause We Stand, lMG lacks the power to speak for ljaw Nation, says INC

Delta 2023: In Ijaw Cause We Stand, lMG lacks the power to speak for ljaw Nation, says INC 

The attention of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has been drawn to an online media publication entitled: 'Ijaw Agitation For 2023 Governorship Not Feasible' credited to the Ijaw Mandate Group (IMG)

The President of the INC Prof. Benjamin Okaba while reacting to the said publication in a statement issued by the spokesperson of the organisation, Engr. Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, said the publication was simply the imagination of the IMG, as it did not represent the opinion of the Ijaw nation .

Prof. Okaba stated that only the 2023 Lobby Group led by former Police Affairs Minister, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, was authorized to speak on the politics of 2023 as it concerned the Ijaw nation,  emphasizing that IMG lacked the mandate to make a statement on the position of the Ijaw nation on 2023 Delta governorship. 

He maintained that INC remained committed to pursuing the Ijaw 2023 agenda of producing the next Governor of Delta state and would follow the cause to its logical conclusion.   

The INC President acknowledged the right of every ethnic nationality in Delta to indicate interest in the governorship of the state, but pointed out that Delta South, and the Ijaws in particular, should be allowed to produce the next Governor given their contributions to and support for the emergence of the former and present Governors of the state.

While cautioning IMG to exercise restraint in making statements on 2023 Delta governorship, Prof. Okaba urged the entire Ijaw nation and Deltans to disregard the purported support of the Dagidi Andaye - led group for DC-23 and its agenda and throw their weight behind the Ijaw 2023 mandate to make the Ijaw Governor a reality, the statement adds.

Court Adjourns Kanu’s Trial to January 19 & 20

Court Adjourns Kanu’s Trial to January 19 & 20

 

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned trial of detained leader of the

Indegenious People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu till January 19.

The adjournment came on a day Kanu’s team of lawyers, staged a walk-out over refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow some of them to gain access into the courtroom.

Kanu, who was brought into the courtroom around 9:52am, had shortly after his case was called up, bemoaned the refusal of security agents to allow some members of his legal team, especially his lawyer from the United State of America, Bruce Fein, to enter the courtroom.

The IPOB leader told the court that Mr. Fein, who he said was handling a case for him in the US, was around to witness his trial.

“I have an ongoing case in the US. I have not been allowed to see him. He is here to see me and to observe the proceedings.

“He has been to the DSS to see me, but they denied him access to me”, Kanu stated from the dock.

Asked by the Judge, if he was ready to conduct the proceedings himself, in the absence of his lawyers, Kanu replied in the negative.

 

Meanwhile, counsel to FG, Mr. M. D. Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecution, urged the court to proceed with the trial in the absence of Kanu’s lawyers.

Abubakar told the court that ordinarily, the matter was fixed for hearing of an application that was filed by the Defendant.

He argued that since Kanu’s lead counsel, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who was initially inside the courtroom, walked out with his team shortly before the arrival of the judge, his pending application should be deemed abandoned.

 

In a short ruling, though Justice Nyako expressed his displeasure over the conduct of Kanu’s lawyers, she declined to dismiss the pending application and rather adjourned the case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.

Buhari Congratulates Soludo on Election Victory

Buhari Congratulates Soludo on Election Victory

I congratulate Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee (PEAC), on his victory in the Anambra State gubernatorial election.

I commend the security agencies for their determination to ensure that the election went on as smoothly as possible, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful conclusion of the exercise, despite the initial challenges encountered.

I enjoin Prof Soludo to rally other stakeholders to tackle the enormous challenges confronting Anambra State and the Southeast in general.

I look forward to working with him for the peace, security and development of Anambra State and the entire country.