APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The report that ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday commenced the distribution of sensitive materials in states including Lagos, Benue, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
The Punch reports that ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday commenced the distribution of sensitive materials in states including Lagos, Benue, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun.
Also, as part of the preparations for the polls, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he said INEC had no excuse not to conduct successful polls.
In no fewer than nine states, the electoral commission stepped up preparations through the distribution of sensitive materials to local government areas.
In Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, the Resident National Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami, at 10am, met with security agencies and officials of the commission before the distribution of the materials to local government areas.
Salami, who spoke at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ado Ekiti branch, venue of the distribution, said early distribution of the materials “is an indication that INEC has put everything in place and we are not leaving everything till the last minute.
“We are to assure Nigerians that we are fully ready for the elections and the materials are ready on time and being distributed on time and will get to locations on time and elections will hold on schedule.
“I can assure you, as you can see, that all our electoral officers in all the local governments are here with their vehicles to convey the materials to the various local government areas. That is an indication that logistics issues have been resolved. We have the money that we need to conduct this election and we have the fuel for the vehicles that will be used,” he said.
The newspaper says that the Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed March 3, 2023 for its judgment in 10 governors’ suit against the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria over the new naira note deadline.
The shifting of the judgment date dashed the hope of millions of Nigerians who had hoped the apex court would end the case ahead of the presidential election slated for Saturday.
Meanwhile, the crisis caused by the CBN’s naira swap policy worsened with many Nigerians finding it difficult to purchase basic needs.
This came as the Independent National Electoral Commission said it was gearing up for Saturday’s polls.
The newspaper says that the Supreme Court on February 8, while ruling on a suit filed by Zamfara, Kaduna and Kogi states against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, ordered the Federal Government not to implement the February 10 deadline for swapping old naira notes for new ones.
But in complete disregard for the February 8 court order, President Muhammadu Buhari in a national broadcast, extended the validity of the old N200 notes while insisting that the old N500 and N1,000 remained illegal.
He further directed that the old N200 note would be legal tender till April 10, 2023, while urging Nigerians to deposit their old N500 and 1000 notes with the Central Bank.
With this development, the apex court has further delayed the resolution of the biting naira scarcity crisis which three state governors alleged was targeted at scuttling the Saturday polls.
The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, last Thursday described the current scarcity of naira notes as part of an alleged plot to disrupt the elections to ensure an interim government takes over.
The governor in a state broadcast alleged that the debacle was meant to ensure that the All Progressives Congress flag bearer, Bola Tinubu, and other candidates of the party lose.
He claimed that those who lost out in the party’s primaries were behind the plot.
Speaking while hosting the Forum of Former Parliamentarians, North-West zone, in Kano penultimate Wednesday, the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, similarly lashed at the policy, which he said was aimed at truncating the nation’s democracy.
The Guardian reports that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day with the exception of those on essential services such as INEC Officials, Electoral Observers, the press, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, amongst others
The order, which is part of measures emplaced to ensure a safe, secure, and conducive environment for the conduct of elections, is aimed at ensuring public order management, the safety of electorates, as well as assisting the security agencies ineffective policing, thereby preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from disrupting the electoral process.
According to police spokesman, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, “Similarly, the IGP sternly warns all security aides and escorts to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election as anyone found flouting this directive will be severely sanctioned. He emphasizes that only security personnel specifically assigned to election duties are to be seen within and around the designated election booths and centres.
“Also, the ban on the unauthorized use of sirens, revolving lights, covered number plates, and tinted glasses is still in force, and violators would be sanctioned appropriately. All State-established and owned security outfits/organizations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.
“While empathizing with well-meaning citizens on the inconveniences the restriction may cause, the IGP urges all active electorates to be law-abiding and turn out en masse to exercise their franchise. He however warns that the Force will deal decisively with any individual(s) or group(s) that might want to test our common resolve and might to ensure a peaceful election.
“The IGP, therefore, enjoins all citizens to shun vote buying, vote selling, hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation, snatching of ballot boxes, and other criminal act(s) as the Force and other security agencies will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all violators of extant laws, most especially the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), are brought to book.”
“The Nigeria Police Force, therefore, urges all members of the public to contact the Nigeria Police Force and the Joint Election Monitoring and Operations Room domiciled at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, via the ‘NPF Rescue Me App’ available on Android and ios, or via the NPF Rescue Me Emergency Toll-free line on 08031230631 to report suspicious persons, activities or request security response. Similarly, other joint operations/election situation room numbers will be released by all State Police Commands respectively, for emergency contact.”
The newspaper says that Nigerian tech entrepreneur Fred Oyetayo relocated to Britain last year, but the 29-year-old plans to fly back home to cast his vote in the presidential elections on Saturday.
“We all want change,” he told AFP, blaming Nigeria’s current and past leaders for the country’s myriad problems, from a disastrous economy to the biggest security crisis in years.
Despite the stream of grim developments in Africa’s most populous nation, millions of energetic, creative, and successful young people are itching for the country to advance.
Almost 40 percent of registered voters are under the age of 35 and many are hoping to finally trigger change by casting a ballot to replace President Muhammadu Buhari, who is stepping down after his two terms allowed by the constitution.
“For the first time we have the usual terrible people and a good person,” said 28-year-old Temidayo Oniosun who works in the space industry and has invested in dozens of early-stage startups.
That “good” person according to the Lagos-based entrepreneur is 61-year-old Peter Obi, who represents the first credible challenge the country’s main two parties have ever had.
The ruling party’s candidate is 70-year-old Bola Tinubu while the main opposition’s candidate is 76-year-old Atiku Abubakar.
Both are perceived by many as being corrupt though they have never been convicted of any charges and both deny any wrongdoing.
Successful young professionals are not the only ones supporting Obi, who is also popular with students, a large pool of 26 million registered voters.
On the campus of the University of Abuja in the capital, Brandon Okori and Daniel Ononaye are rushing to their political science class.
“I am definitely voting (fr) Obi,” said 23-year-old Okori, while his friend Ononaye, 22, nods and adds: “Obi is not there for the money or the power, like the two others.”
A combination of factors have energised Nigeria’s youth in these elections. For one, economic hardship has reached extreme levels, with months of university strikes and youth unemployment at more than 40 percent, leading to a rise in criminality.
There is also a newfound belief that young people’s voice matters, especially since youth-led protests erupted in late 2020.
And while Obi leads in several pre-elections polls, Tinubu and Abubakar have access to more resources and control governors and other leaders who hold considerable sway in their constituencies.
In addition, vote buying is common and voting patterns along religious and ethnic lines remain strong.
GIK/APA