Edo gov ticket: PDP lists tough conditions for Obaseki

Edo gov ticket: PDP lists tough conditions for Obaseki

...As Oshiomhole , APC appeal committee back gov ’s disqualification

...Atiku woos embattled gov , protesters demand end to godfatherism

...APC punishing Obaseki for nothing, says Babatope

...INEC fixes June 29 as deadline to submit names of party candidates

Indications emerged on Saturday that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has given conditions to the embattled Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki , to fly the party ’s flag in the state ’s September 19 governorship election.

The offers came following Friday’s disqualification of Obaseki from the June 22 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress by the party’s screening committee for the election. The governor had, however , vowed not to appeal the decision.

The screening committee, headed by Prof Jonathan Ayuba , said the governor was disqualified because of the discrepancies in his names and certificates and for suing the party in contravention of the party’s rules.

In the report received by the party’s National Chairman , Mr Adams Oshiomhole , Ayuba noted that Obaseki claimed to have obtained a Higher School Certificate from the Institute of Continuing Education in Benin City but didn’t produce the certificate and the document he produced only attested to his attendance .

He further said the governor’s National Youth Service Corps certificate reads ‘Obasek Godwin’ and that it could be an error from the NYSC, an anomaly he said the governor never took any step to correct.

“ In our interaction with issues raised , we concluded that (the ) HSC was defective ; the NYSC certificate and the fact that the aspirant took the party to court. The above aspirant, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki , therefore, is not eligible to participate in the election,” he added.

Apart from the governor, other disqualified aspirants were Chris Ogiemwonyi and Mathew Iduoriyekenwen.

Those cleared to take part in the primary were Mr Osaro Obaze , Dr Pius Odubu and Pastor Osagie Ize - Iyamu.

Ize - Iyamu , who was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the last election, is believed to be the choice of Oshiomhole and some members of the National Working Committee after the former’s fallout with Obaseki .

The development peaked the lingering disagreements between the governor and Oshiomhole , who is also Obaseki ’s predecessor.

Investigations by Sunday PUNCH showed that the governor made overtures to the PDP leadership on the possibility of contesting governorship on the party’s platform.

However, to realise his second- term ambition, a highly placed source within the PDP top hierarchy, told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity that the governor had been in contact with the party. The source stated that the governor was asked to take some steps before he could be admitted to be the party’s candidate in the coming election.

The source added that chief among the conditions was the directive that he (Obaseki ) should meet with the three PDP governorship aspirants screened by the party ’s screening committee for the primary.

The three screened PDP aspirants were Gideon Ikhine , Ogbeide Ihama and Kenneth Imansuangbon.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that one of the aspirants insisted that he would not step down for the governor.

Though the party had yet to release the screening result, it was learnt that the three aspirants were likely to be cleared for the primary.

It was further learnt that the governor was also directed to meet with the party leadership in the state to seek their support and understanding.

The source said there was no way the national PDP would support the governor without the approval of its officials in the state , including the aspirants.

Investigations showed that the party leadership was afraid that if leaders in the state were not carried along in the arrangement, it could boomerang and lead to the defection of aggrieved members to either the APC or any other political party after the primary.

The source said, “ We at the national level are not interested in imposing the governor or anyone on the party in the state . He is going to be their governor and the people of the state are the voters. Our own is to campaign for him and our party.

“ The governor is not yet a member of our party. We have laboured to remain relevant in the state and our popularity shows that we are going to win the forthcoming election.

“ We are talking to the leaders of our party in the state . They have the final say on whether the governor should join or not. 

The governor had been directed to speak with the state leaders , the members of our party’s National Executive Committee in the state , members of the Board of Trustees and also members of different caucuses.

“ When that is done , we can talk to him and the people. The governor will also have to meet with the aspirants who have picked our nomination and expression of interest forms and agree on modalities.

“ When they agree , we will come in and iron out what to do . For now , we are watching from the sidelines.”

The source added that whatever agreement the governor reached with the party leaders and the aspirants would form the basis of whether he would join the party or not.

Besides, a close aide to Obaseki also said though some political parties were reaching out to the governor to contest governorship on their platforms , he had yet to take any decision.

The aide , who spoke on condition of anonymity in a telephone interview with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday , disclosed that some leaders of the APC at the national level had also reached out to the governor, promising to intervene in the screening crisis.

He said, “ I know that several consultations are ongoing. Between me and you , not just the PDP, but several political parties are with the governor. But he has not given any hint that he is talking to any one of the parties .’’

APC appeal committee backs gov ’ s disqualification

The APC Screening Appeal Committee on Saturday upheld Obaseki ’s disqualification . The decision followed a review of the report of the party ’s screening committee.

Chairman of the appeal panel, Dr. Abubakar Fari, who submitted the committee report to the Oshiomhole - led National Working Committee said only one out of the three disqualified aspirants appealed the decision.

Fari said, “ We looked at the grounds on which Obaseki was disqualified and I would like to say his disqualification was based on solid grounds .”

He said the committee reviewed the screening committee report on the other two.

Fari added, “ We found the screening committee’s findings on the other two as justified. In respect of Mathew , the appeal committee in the course of reviewing the report of the screening committee observed that it failed to make a finding and draw a conclusion of his prejudicial finding of filing a legal action against the national chairman and the party itself. We reached the conclusion that such conduct runs contrary to Article 21 (D) 5 of the party’s 2014 constitution as amended . As a result of that, we upheld the decision of the screening committee that he should be disqualified and he is so disqualified by the appeal committee.” He noted that Obaseki ’s case was also reviewed.

Fari said, “ This committee finds that although the screening committee disqualified Obaseki on the evidence of the documents he presented, however , the committee did not take into account their contradictions in the various petitions submitted to the committee against him. We take the liberty to highlight these discrepancies.

“ In the affidavit sworn to by Godwin Obaseki before the High Court Abuja , he stated under oath that he graduated from the University of Ibadan with a BA degree in Classical Studies in 1976 . However, the university certificate he attached to his nomination form bears 1979 which is a material contradiction.’’

The committee also said it found it hard to believe he gained admission to study at the university with three credits without a proper A levels or a diploma .

It also noted that the governor also had two separate voter cards which were illegal, adding that the attestation letter of the institute the governor claimed to have attended was not on the letter head of the school.

The committee also said it found entry inconsistencies in the forms Obaseki submitted for scrutiny.

Atiku woos embattled gov , protesters demand end to godfatherism

Former Vice President and the PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar , has reached out to embattled Obaseki , persuading him to join the PDP for his second- term ambition.

TheCable reported that Atiku contacted Obaseki on Friday and was working on giving him a soft landing in the PDP should he defect to the party and utilise the platform.

The online medium noted that a source close to Atiku disclosed that Atiku discussed Obaseki ’s likely defection to the party with some governors in the PDP.

The source said, “ The Waziri (of Adamawa Emirate which Abubakar was turbaned in 2018 ) is wooing Obaseki on behalf of the PDP. He spoke with him yesterday and encouraged him to join the PDP. He also spoke to some of the PDP governors and urged them to give him a soft landing and access to the party .”

Meanwhile , a coalition of civil society groups in Edo under the aegis of Edo Civil Society Coalition for Peace and Development on Saturday staged a ‘peace walk ’ for promoting peace and an end to godfatherism in the state.

The groups further expressed worry over the rising political tension in the state , noting their displeasure about Obaseki ’s disqualification.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Batholomew Okoudo, frowned on the political crisis among the ruling party ’s stakeholders, calling for peace and unity in the state.

Okoudo, who condemned the party’s decision for a direct primary, called for an end to godfatherism in the state , saying the lives of Edo people were more important that the ambition of any politician.

He added, “ Those in position of authority must ensure that the interests of the people are considered. Those in charge of the primary election should be peaceful rather than hijack the situation and process and put the lives of Edo people in danger .”

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy , Mr Crusoe Osagie, said on Saturday that stakeholders had rallied round the governor to end godfatherism.

In a statement , Osagie, said, “ The Edo State Governor , Mr . Godwin Obaseki , sincerely appreciates Edo people, Nigerians and our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, for the outpouring of goodwill and solidarity since the announcement of his unjust disqualification by the All Progressives Congress screening committee from the Edo governorship primary election. He thanks them for keeping the faith.

“ We are consulting widely with party leaders and members in the state and other stakeholders .’’

Osagie also stated that Obaseki had said there must be ‘strict enforcement of regulations ’ on gatherings spelt out in the state ’s gazette to reduce the infection and transmission of COVID- 19.

He said the governor stated this on Saturday while addressing journalists in Benin City , warning that the government would publish the names of COVID- 19 patients who refused to stay in the isolation and treatment centres.

APC punishing Obaseki for nothing, says Babatope

Commenting on the governor’s travail, a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope , on Saturday said the APC wasn’t fair to Obaseki.

Babatope , a former Minister of Transportation , spoke in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.

Saying though he was not a member of the APC, he viewed the disqualification as humiliation of Obaseki.

He said the disqualification was punishment meted out to the governor for doing nothing.

Babatope , “ You know I am not a member of the APC but I must say what the party has done to the governor is not fair.

“ We should have got to a stage in this country where politicians look at issues dispassionately and not because they belong to a particular party.

“ They are just punishing him for doing nothing really. The governor contested and won on your platform the first term, nothing was wrong . Are you just seeing all the issues with his certificates ? Too bad.

“ Personally , I am not happy with the way he is being treated because we are talking about fairness and justice here, and that does not mean I support him to win against my party, the PDP.’’

He said the APC should have given the governor the opportunity to defend himself , adding that he would be the happiest person if the embattled governor joined the PDP.

INEC fixes June 29 deadline for parties to submit candidates ’ names

The Independent National Electoral Commission has told political parties partaking in the state governorship election to submit names of their candidates latest by 6 pm on June 29.

The commission told Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that since parties had been given sufficient time to prepare for the primaries fixed for between June 2 and 27 , any party that failed to conduct primaries on the date cannot approach it with any list.

The commission said it would not issue any access code to any defaulting party for the purpose of filing the nomination of candidates.

INEC said all the parties which indicated their intention to conduct primaries for the nomination of candidates must conclude the exercise and resolve all disputes arising from the exercise on or before June 27 , 2020.

The commission said, “ Every political party that conducted valid party primaries shall complete and upload the nominations forms on INEC nomination portal, INEC political party nomination web portal in the manner prescribed by the commission and the last day for this is on June 29 2020.

“ The documents shall be uploaded not later than 6 pm on the last day for the submission of the forms. The portal shall no longer be available after the specified time.”

Sunday PUNCH reported that 15 out of the 18 registered political parties had notified INEC of their intention to conduct primaries.

The parties are Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, African Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, All Progressives Grand Alliance , Allied Peoples Movement and the Action Peoples Party.

Others are Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party , Young Progressive Party and Zenith Labour Party.

Our correspondent observed that out of the 15 parties, only the APC would be using direct mode for its primaries, while others opted for indirect primaries.

But in an interview with Sunday PUNCH , INEC National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the June 29 deadline remained unchanged.

Source : Sunday Punch

501 New Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Nigeria

501 New Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Nigeria

Nigeria Latest News Blog

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it has recorded 501 new cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

In a tweet on Saturday night, the NCDC said that the new cases had taken the total number of infections in the country to 15181

According to the figures released by NCDC, the new cases were recorded in Lagos-195, FCT-50, Kano-42, Kaduna-27, Edo-26, Oyo-22, Imo-21, Gombe-17, Benue-12, Enugu-12, Delta-11, Anambra-11, Ebonyi-10, Nasarawa-9, Ogun-9, Bauchi-8, Kebbi-4, Akwa Ibom-3, Jigawa-3, Katsina-3, Yobe-2, Borno-2, Kwara-1, Ondo-1.

The NCDC also said 5101 patients have been discharged while 407 deaths have been recorded.

NOUN Matriculates 15,000 Students For 2020 Academic Session

The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, Saturday, matriculated 15,000 of its newly admitted students.

But the matriculation ceremony was held online following the lockdown arising from the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

Addressing the new students during the university’s 19th matriculation ceremony, Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, enjoined them to rise to the challenges of the modern world in their quest for knowledge, including eradicating future diseases like the current Covid-19.

In a welcome address to the over 15,000 new students, which he read over the Zoom application to which many of the students logged on from all over the country, Adamu urged them to see any challenge they encounter in the course of their studies as a building block.

“One block at a time, and you will erect a mansion,” he said, adding, “You are in the best position to do this because your learning is powered by your personal desire to learn.”

The vice-chancellor noted that while many students enter higher institutions in order to become educated so that they can get jobs, the matriculating students at NOUN already have jobs and occupations.

Adamu said because technology has become a commodity, NOUN has optimised its online facilitation exercise such that students can easily interact directly with their lecturers.

He pointed out that the university was the only one having a Directorate of Learning Content Management System (CLMS) which in due course could become a full-fledge online university.

He added that all the academic programmes of the university are fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in order to ensure their integrity.

He said: “Our programmes, quality assurance and delivery mechanisms are therefore more solid than those of many conventional universities who keep coming to us to see how we work this technological magic.”

Adamu informed the new intake of students that this was his last matriculation address at NOUN, his tenure of five years having to end in February 2021.

“I want to meet you in the next four years, during your graduation, not as Vice-Chancellor, full of knowledge and ready to take on the world as a result of your studentship in NOUN, and proudly watch you graduate with flying colours as simply the best of the best,” he said.

The matriculation oath was administered online on the students by the Registrar of the university, Mr. Felix I. Edoka.

It ended with joyful banter exchanged between the vice-chancellor and some of the students, who joined from remote locations as the event was beamed live on the social media and NOUN platforms.

Shorn of the pomp and pageantry usually associated with such an exercise, the event was conducted online because of the Covid-19 pandemic which forced the federal government to shut down all schools in the country since March, 2020.

NOUN is the only single-mode open and distance learning university in Nigeria and the largest in West Africa with 580,000 enrolled students spread in 78 study centres across Nigeria. (Vanguard Nigeria News)

Afe Babalola Threatens To Lead Protest Against Reconstruction Of Ureje Bridge by FG

Legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola, has threatened to lead a protest should the federal government fail to provide alternative route as work begins at the collapsed Ureje Bridge which links Ado-Ekiti to Ijan town.

The troubled road is probably the busiest in Ekiti ,as it acts as the major  links to  two important tertiary institutions, the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) and the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti. 

Hundreds of commuters were stranded on Friday when the contractor handling the project suddenly  shut the bridge and commence repairs without making adequate provision for alternative route.

The   bridge was submerged by flooding  last year  and claimed some lives when a section of it collapsed. It  had  now cut off a section of the state capital.

The enraged Babalola who visited the site of the project Saturday morning alongside the deputy governor  Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti ,Oba Rufus Adejugbe and the Ado- Local Council Chairman ,Modupe Fajuyi ,bemoaned the timing of the repairs. 

Speaking to journalists after the inspection , Babalola, who chided the federal government for starting the project late,  urged the residents to endure the pains in the interest of the generality of the people.

Also present at the briefing were  the Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe.

The legal luminary also lamented that the closure was affecting  the day-to-day activities at  Afe Babalola University(ABUAD) and the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti , among other residents that were adversely affected by the closure.

He said: “This road was constructed over 90 years ago, it was a very narrow road. It is the only road that links  Lagos to Lokoja and to Abuja . it was constructed by  Royal Niger Company. But unfortunately, it has been neglected ever since .

“Since I started my university 11 years ago, I have been maintaining it. I have written several petitions to FG. I thought they would do their repair during dry season. Now, ABUAD  community and many other areas of Ado Ekiti have been cut off.

“I expected that they would have  done the repair  earlier. There are two alternatives, it  Is either they divide the bridge and let one section be used  or the contractor should grade the road àt Igirigiri along Ado Local government as alternative route, so that the people will not suffer”.

Babalola regretted that Ekiti is the most neglected state in Nigeria,  with no visible federal owned infrastructure that can boost the economy.

“If you look around, no seaport, no rail lines and the roads are just too bad. Ikare- Ado, Ado- Otun, Ado -Efon, Ado-Akure roads are all in bad shapes. I don’t know the crime we have committed to warrant  this neglect.

 “Some people came to report to me that they will disrupt this project and open up the road forcefully. But I beg the road users to endure this situation. But if the contractor fails to do the right  , then we will take them up”, he stated.

“But let me tell you that we are going to cause trouble if they fail to provide a motor- able alternative route for us .In fact, I am going to lead the protest against the government. We cannot continue, like this we had cried out severally about this before we got to this point,” Babalola lamented.

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor, Chief Egbeyemi, directed the contractor to quickly provide alternative road to prevent the people from venting their angers on them.

 “I have interrogated them(contractor)  and asked them to provide alternative road. They said they have identified Igirigiri road and I have instructed them to grade the road, this road can’t be blocked without alternative, because it is a major commercial route.

“We have university and polytechnic along this route. Though, they said the road will be opened  for use in six weeks. I know that if they do what they are doing sufficiently, then we will have no problem in the end.

“The best remains that they should look for alternative road and make it passable. Over 800 motors were stuck on the alternative road  yesterday and that is not acceptable to us”.

In his remark, the Deputy Governor, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe, appreciated the federal Government for attending to the bridge, but hinted that the construction commenced so late .

The Federal Controller of works in Ekiti,  Engr Isiaq Lawal , said it was never the intention of the Federal Ministry of Works to inconvenience anybody, urging the populace to cooperate with them for the success of the project.

“A structure of this nature requires 28 days to get its strength and it is the national and international standard. We are pleading for understanding, so that we can get out of the problem we are encountering . What will be the FG’s  interest to inconvenience anyone?

” I met with Ekiti government to inform them before we started . We identified alternative road, but we are going to make it motorable, people should bear with us pending the time the bridge will be completed”. (Independent)

DEMOCRACY DAY: Buhari awards FG pass mark

ONE year after he recognised June 12 as Democracy Day, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, reviewed the state of the nation and gave himself thumbs-up on addressing the pricking challenges of the country.

In a 96-point, 3,643-word broadcast to the nation that lasted for over 40 minutes, President Buhari, who did not mention Chief MKO Abiola, the late presumed winner of the June 12,1993 presidential election, said he has kept the promises he made last year while recognizing June 12 as democracy day.

However, the President said that the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has put humanity and democracy under threat.

But the President was elated that his administration has laid a foundation for future success of the country in the course of implementing federal government’s nine priority objectives.

He said despite the challenges, Nigeria’s external reserves grew from $33.42 billion in first quarter of 2020 to $36 billion.

The President who stated this to mark the Democracy Day on June 12, reeled out the achievements of his administration in the past five years.

He said that his administration has recorded notable achievements in the course of implementing its nine priority objectives and was establishing a solid foundation for future success.

“In my 2019 Democracy Day address, I promised to frontally address the nation’s daunting challenges, especially insecurity, economy and corruption. I therefore find it necessary to give an account of my stewardship on this day.

”We have recorded notable achievements in the course of implementing our nine priority objectives and are establishing a solid foundation for future success. On the economic front, our objectives have remained to stabilize the macroeconomy, achieve agricultural and food security, ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products, develop infrastructure, fight corruption and improve governance,” he said.

Indeed, President Buhari reeled out his achievements in all sectors of the across the country, adding that “sustaining our democracy thus far has been a collective struggle.”

Among his achievements, he said work on the Second Niger Bridge has reached 48 per cent; Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is 90 per cent completed; 102km of the 376km Abuja – Kaduna – Kano Road, representing 38% has been constructed, and the 42.9km Obajana – Kabba Road is 87.03% complete.

His Social Investment Programme has engaged 549,500 N-Power beneficiaries, 408,682 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and 2,238,334 beneficiaries of the Growth Enhancement and Empowerment Programme.

Similarly, under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, he said over 9,963,729 children are being fed to keep them in school and improve their nutritional status; and as part of the strategy to create jobs in reducing the effect of COVID-19, the move to employ 774,000 youths, 1000 from each of the 774 local councils of the country, has commenced. (Vanguard)

FLASHBACK: Full Speech With Which Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Annulled June 12 Elections Won By MKO Abiola

This is the full speech delivered by Nigeria’s

former military head of state, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, to annul the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by MKO Abiola.

Fellow Nigerians,

I address you today with a deep sense of world history and particularly of the history of our great country. In the aftermath of the recently annulled presidential election, I feel, as I believe you yourself feel, a profound sense of disappointment at the outcome of our last efforts at laying the foundation of a viable democratic system of government in Nigeria.

I therefore wish, on behalf of myself and members of the National Defence and Security Council and indeed of my entire administration, to feel with my fellow countrymen and women for the cancellation of the election.

It was a rather disappointing experience in the course of carrying through the last election of the transition to civil rule programme. Nigeria has come a long way since this administration assumed power and leadership about eight years ago. In the attempt to grapple with the critical and monumental problems and challenges of national existence and social progress, this administration inaugurated and pursued sound and justifiable policies and programmes of reform.

These policies and programmes have touched virtually all aspects of our national life – the economy, political process, social structures, external relations, bureaucracy and even the family system.

I believe strongly that in understanding, conception, formulation and articulation, these policies and programmes are not only sound but also comparatively unassailable. I believe too that history, with the passage of time, would certainly score the administration high in its governance of our country.

Let me also express my deep conviction that the core strategy and structures of our reform policies and programmes, as enunciated in 1986/87, would, for a very long time, remain relevant and durable in the course of changing our country positively.

I believe that at the exit of the administration from power, we would leave behind for prosperity a country with an economy, the structures of which have been turned around for good. 

The average Nigerian person has come to reconcile himself with the fact that his or her social progress remains essentially in his or her hands in collaboration with other fellow Nigerians and not merely relying on what government alone could provide for him or her. The days are gone for good, when men and women trooped to government establishments for employment and for benevolence.

This administration has built the foundation that would take Nigerians away from their previous colonially-induced motivations and the encumbrances of colonialism. We have laid the foundation for self-reliant economic development and social justice.

We have established a new basis in our country in which economic liberalization would continue to flourish alongside democratic forces and deregulated power structure. In all these, the average Nigerian person has more than ever before this administration imbibed and assimilated the values of hard work, resilience and self-confidence.

It is true that in the course of implementing our reform policies and programmes and especially because of the visionary zeal with which we approached the assignment and responded to incidental pressures of governance, we engendered a number of social forces in the country. This is so because we sought to challenge and transform extant social forces which had in the past impeded growth and development of our country.

We also sought to deal with the new forces to which our programmes of action gave rise. Thus in dealing with the dynamics of both the old and new social forces, we ran into certain difficulties.

In particular, during the course of handling the interlocking relationships between the old and new political forces and institutions, some problems had arisen leading us into a number of difficulties and thereby necessitating our having to tamper with the rules and regulations laid down in the political programme. As a result, the administration unwittingly attracted enormous public suspicions of its intentions and objectives.

Accordingly, we have experienced certain shortfalls and conflicting responses to the pulls and pushes of governance in the course of policy implementation. I believe that areas of difficulties with the transition programme, especially from the last quarter of 1992 to the recent cancelled presidential election, derived primarily from the shortfalls in implementing the programmes of actions which, though objectively taken, may have caused a deviation from the original framework and structure of the programme.

Fellow Nigerians, it is true that by the cancelled presidential election, we all found the nation at a peculiar bar of history which was neither bargained for, nor was it envisaged in the reform programmes of transition as enunciated in 1986/87. In the circumstance, the administration had no option than to respond appropriately to the unfortunate experience of terminating the presidential election.

Our actions are in full conformity with the original objectives of the transition to civil programme. It was also in conformity with the avowed commitment of the administration to advance the cause of national unity, stability, and democracy. In annulling the presidential election, this administration was keenly aware of its promise in November 1992 that it would disengage and institute a return to democracy on August 27, 1993.

We are determined to keep the promise. Since this transition, and indeed any transition, must have an end, I believe that our transition programme should and must come to an end, honestly and honourably. History will bear witness that as an administration we have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the foundation of lasting democracy.

As an administration, we cannot afford to leave Nigerian into a Third Republic with epileptic convulsions in its democratic health. Nigeria must therefore confront her own reality; she must solve her problems notwithstanding other existing models of democracy in other parts of the world.

In my address to the nation in October 1992, when the first presidential primaries were cancelled, I had cause to remind our country men and women that there is nowhere in the world in which the practice of democracy is the same, even if the principles are similar and even for countries sharing the same intellectual tradition and cultural foundation. The history of our country is not the history of any other country in the world which is either practising advanced democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for democracy.

Yet, in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities of Nigeria, there are certain prerequisites which constitute an irreducible minimum for democracy. Such essential factors include: A. Free and fair elections; B. Uncoerced expression of voters preference in election; C. Respect for electorate as unfettered final arbiter on elections; D. Decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires; E. Absolute respect for the rule of law.

Fellow Nigerians, you would recall that it was precisely because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet the basic requirements of free and fair election that the Armed Forces Ruling Council had good reason to cancel those primaries.

The recently annulled presidential election was similarly afflicted by these problems. Even before the presidential election, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democratic elections.

But because we were determined to keep faith with the deadline of 27th August, 1993 for the return to civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion.

There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party primaries as well as the presidential election.

These were the same bad conduct for which the party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled. Evidence available to government put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates at over two billion, one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion).

The use of money was again the major source of undermining the electoral process. Both these allegations and evidence were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election, the National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination to fulfill the promise to hand over to an elected president on due date.

Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential election, there were moral issues which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council.

There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential candidates which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become president.

We believe that politics and government are not ends in themselves. Rather, service and effective amelioration of the condition of our people must remain the true purpose of politics. It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful.

However, there was in fact a huge array of electoral malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation before the actual voting began. There were authenticated reports of the electoral malpractices against party agents, officials of the National Electoral Commission and also some members of the electorate.

If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law, there were proofs of manipulations through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducement against officials of the National Electoral Commission and members of the electorate. There were also evidence of conflict in the process of authentication and clearance of credentials of the presidential candidates.

Indeed, up to the last few hours of the election, we continued, in our earnest steadfastness with our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts. For example, following the Council’s deliberation which followed the court injunction suspending the election, majority of members of the National Defence and Security Council supported postponement of the election by one week.

This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters, especially in the rural areas, about the postponement. But persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the information to the entire electorate within the few hours left before the election, the Council, unfortunately, dropped the idea of shifting the voting day.

Now, we know better. The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit signals which the nation can only ignore at its peril.

It is against the foregoing background that the administration became highly concerned when these political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court. It must be acknowledged that the performance of the judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory.

The judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of our citizens. Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of the political process, and vested interests, then the entire political system was in clear dangers.

This administration could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos. It was under this circumstance that the National Defence and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme interest of law and order, political stability and peace that the presidential election be annulled.

As an administration, we have had special interest and concern not only for the immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the foundation for generations to come. To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993 election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who encouraged a campaign of divide and rule among our ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the Third Republic.

Our need is for peace, stability and continuity of politics in the interest of all our people. Fellow countrymen and women, although the National Electoral Commission and the Centre for Democratic Studies officially invited foreign observers for the presidential election, the administration also considered it, as important as a democratic society, that our activities and electoral conduct must be open not only to the citizenry of our country but also to the rest of the world.

In spite of this commitment, the administration did not and cannot accept that foreign countries should interfere in our internal affairs and undermine our sovereignty. The presidential election was not an exercise imposed on Nigerians by the United Nations or by the wishes of some global policemen of democracy.

It was a decision embarked upon independently by the government of our country and for the interest of our country. This is because we believe, just like other countries, that democracy and democratization are primary values which Nigerians should cultivate, sustain and consolidate so as to enhance freedom, liberties and social development of the citizenry.

 

The actions of these foreign countries are most unfortunate and highly regrettable. There is nowhere in the history of our country or indeed of the third world where these countries can be said to love Nigeria or Nigerians any more than the love we have for ourselves and for our country. Neither can they claim to love Nigeria any more than this administration loves our country.

Accordingly, I wish to state that this administration will take necessary action against any interest groups that seek to interfere in our internal affairs. In this vein, I wish to place on record the appreciation of this administration for the patience and understanding of Nigerians, the French, the Germans, the Russians and Irish governments in the current situation.

I appeal to our fellow countrymen and women and indeed our foreign detractors that they should cultivate proper understanding and appreciation of the peculiar historic circumstances in the development of our country and the determination not only of this administration but indeed of all Nigerians to resolve the current crises.

Fellow Nigerians, the National Security and Defence Council has met several times since the June 12, 1993 election.

The council has fully deliberated not only on our avowed commitment but also to bequeathing to posterity a sound economic and political base in our country and we shall do so with honour.

In our deliberations, we have also taken note of several extensive consultations with other members of this administration, with officers and men of the Armed Forces and with well-meaning Nigerian leaders of thought. We are committed to handing over power on 27th August, 1993.

Accordingly, the National Defence and Security Council has decided that, by the end of July 1993, the two political parties, under the supervision of a recomposed National Electoral Commission, will put in place the necessary process for the emergence of two presidential candidates.

This shall be conducted according to the rules and regulations governing the election of the president of the country. In this connection, government will, in consultation with the two political parties and National Electoral Commission, agree as to the best and quickest process of conducting the election. In the light of our recent experience and, given the mood of the nation, the National Defence and Security Council has imposed additional conditions as a way of widening and deepening the base of electing the president and sanitizing the electoral process.

Accordingly, the candidates for the coming election must: (1) Not be less than 50 years old; (2) Have not been convicted of any crime; (3) Believe, by act of faith and practice, in the corporate existence of Nigeria; (4) Possess records of personal, corporate and business interests which do not conflict with national interests; (5) Have been registered members of either of the two political parties for at least one year to this election.

All those previously banned from participating in the transition process, other than those with criminal records, are hereby unbanned. They can all henceforth participate in the electoral process. This is with a view to enriching the quality of candidature for the election and at the same time tap the leadership resources of our country to the fullest. The decree to this effect will be promulgated.

Fellow Nigerians, I wish to finally acknowledge the tremendous value of your patience and understanding, especially in the face of national provocation. I urge you to keep faith with the commitment of this administration.

I enjoin you to keep faith with the unity, peace and stability of our country for this is the only country that you and I can call our own. Nowhere in the world, no matter the prompting and inducements of foreign countries, can Nigerians ever be regarded as first class citizens.

Nigeria is the only country that we have. We must therefore renew our hope in Nigeria, and faith and confidence in ourselves for continued growth, development and progress.