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WE’LL REVIEW ELECTIONS, IF…. – INEC CHAIRMAN

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INEC-chairman
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...As IPAC expresses confidence in Commission

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has expressed the readiness of the commission to review the 2023 general elections as demanded by some political parties “where absolutely necessary”.

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Labour Party LP had on Monday led some opposition parties to demand that the election be reviewed midway into the collation of the presidential results.

Yakubu had declined the request, on the grounds that the law was clear that the collation process has to be completed first before any process for review can be undertaken.

However, at the resumption of the collation exercise on Tuesday, Yakubu said he will stick to the law.

“In accordance with the new Electoral Act particularly under Section 65 of the Electoral Act, we will review the election where it is absolutely necessary”, he declared.

IPAC expresses support

Earlier, the Inter-Party Advisory Council IPAC had expressed support for the commission, urging it to not accede to the request to halt the process.

IPAC chairman, Yabagi Sani who spoke on behalf of the parties at the National Collation Centre , however acknowledged that there were challenges, but added that they were not enough to truncate the process.

He said; “We are here with most of the members of the council. We are here to express our delight that this process should continue, this is because when democracy fails, political parties are the first casualties and the politicians are the biggest losers.

“Democracy is crucial to the people of this country and we believe that the elections are the fundamental pillars of our democracy. So the mere fact that we held this election amid the current circumstances, we need to congratulate this country.

“We are not been mindful of the challenges in the country, but the commission and political parties experienced some of the unexpected development. From our findings, it is not uncommon to experience such in any technology usage.

“We believe that we are at a crossroads but Nigerians are highly resilient.

“Democracy is a journey and the journey so far we have to congratulate ourselves because Nigeria matters in things globally. We should sum up the courage to conclude this process.

“It is not that we are happy or we don’t understand the pains of our people but in a democracy according to the popular maxim ‘the show must go on’ not that we just wanted to have this as a show but this country is a country of greatness.

“Mr Chairman my members are here to encourage you to go ahead and ensure that the process is concluded and concluded well.

“Some of our members who have issues can now do what the constitution made provision for, which is to seek redress.

“So we want to say because of this country and the importance of this process to our country of course without prejudice to the position some of our members must have taken but we must be on the side of history that this process is concluded and Nigeria becomes greater”, he stated

On his part, National Chairman and Presidential Candidate of Zenith Labour Party ZLP, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, cautioned against burning down the country for partisan interests.

“We have passed through many elections and I must say that there is no where in the world were there are no problems, not even in the US.

“Without prejudice to whatever challenges, we must not burn down Nigeria. Nigeria must exist first before we can become whatever we become.

“In this election, there were no problems with BVAS until the end of the election and it worked well throughout. it is the best option to go.

“So, go ahead with the process. We are confident with the process. Nobody should crucify the INEC chairman”, he declared.

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SENIOR JOURNALIST ACCUSES ONANUGA OF INSURRECTION AGAINST INDEPENDENT MEDIA

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Says it’s a reminder of Abacha’s dictatorship

A veteran journalist and rights activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, has raised the alarm that the incoming government of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be intolerant of the free press.
Akinnola vowed that Nigerians would resist any planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way they fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.


Akinnola in an open letter dated April 1, 2023, written to the Director of Media of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bayo Onanuga, expressed dismay that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) slammed Channels Television with a N5 million fine, following a petition allegedly written by Onanuga over an interview by the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed.


NBC had last week slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels Television for allegedly breaking the broadcasting code in a programme with Baba-Ahmed.
The sanction came a few hours after Tinubu petitioned the station over its interview with the LP vice presidential candidate.
While fielding questions on a Channels Television programme, Baba-Ahmed asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, not to swear in Bola Tinubu as president.


The LP vice-presidential candidate said there is no president-elect because Tinubu did not allegedly meet the requirements of the constitution.
However, Akinnola, who in his letter reminded Onanuga of their long-time friendship, accused him of violating all the principles they both fought for under the military, particularly against the military onslaught on the free press.


He warned that Nigerians would resist any planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way they fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.
The letter read: “I hope you are now happy and satisfied that NBC has sanctioned Channels with a N5 million fine, following your petition over Datti Ahmed’s interview on Channels Television.


“Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Dr. Olu Onagoruwa (both of blessed memories) were the best of friends for several years but that friendship was truncated when the latter decided to join the Abacha junta as the Attorney-General, churning out despicable Decrees. Their relationship ended and Gani publicly upbraided his erstwhile friend.


“You and I have been friends for several years, fought many battles together against the military, particularly against their onslaught on the free press. I, therefore, feel pained that l have to publicly upbraid you for your recent public statements, particularly your petition against Channels Television, to NBC.
“Et tu, Bayo? I’m still trying to wrap my head around your sudden 360 degrees against all you fought for under the military. You are yet to be in government and you have started exhibiting intolerance against the independent media, the same thing you fought for all your years like Dr Onagoruwa did. I’m sure your principal, who has been a lover of a free press, would be embarrassed by your position.


“I watched the interview under reference and I must say, you are very unfair to Seun Okinbaloye, the anchor man who repeatedly cautioned Datti Ahmed for making some seemingly inciting comments, to the anger and discomfiture of Datti-Ahmed. So, in all conscience, what then is the basis of your petition to NBC? Can you compare that to your recent incendiary post against an ethnic group? Why are you making enemies for your principal, instead of friends, in a country so polarised? While your principal is preaching unity and healing, you are busy trying to make more enemies for him. Yesterday, it was ARISE NEWS Channel; today, it is Channels. Is that a foretaste of what to experience in the incoming government? So, we should be fixated on NTA and TVC? Isn’t that what you are trying to say proverbially? To say that I’m totally embarrassed by your silly conduct would be stating it mildly.


“For eight years, despite all vitriolic attacks on the president, Femi Adesina, as Special Adviser, Media to the president, did not petition against any medium but you wey never enter, don dey censor the media. What a shame! I can expect the disaster that awaits us if you become the presidential spokesperson. Do l subscribe to unfettered press freedom? No. I believe every freedom comes with responsibility. However, when you create a perception that the incoming government would be intolerant of the free press, we need to sound the alarm bell.


“My dear Bayo, it is often said that until a man tastes power or has access to money, you can’t judge his character. That may not be true because one of our mutual friends, Tunji Bello, has tasted both but has been the normal self that l have known for over three decades. His decent character has not changed, in and out of government. So, could it be that your real character is just unfolding? Just because you are now at the periphery of power, you are ready to obliterate all the values and principles you held all these years. What a shame!
“Take notice that we would fight this your planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way we, including you, fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.”

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NBC SLAMS N5M PENALTY ON CHANNELS TELEVISION FOR BREAKING BROADCAST CODE

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The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels Television for breaking the broadcasting law in a programme with Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate.

This is contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the television station and dated March 27.

The letter was exclusively obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

The letter, with the title: “Broadcast of an Inciting Interview, A Sanction”, was signed by Balarabe Ilelah, the commission’s Director-General.

It read in part:” The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, by the anchor of Politics Today, Seun Okibaloye, on Wednesday, March 22.

“Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29, 2023, because of election irregularities,” Ilelah said in the letter.

He noted that the broadcast was volatile and capable of inciting public disorder and therefore violated some sections of the broadcasting code.

This, according to him, includes the section that said no broadcast shall encourage, or incite, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.

Ilelah added that according to the broadcasting code, broadcasters shall ensure that no programme contained anything which amounted to subversion of constituted authority.

He recalled that the NBC had engaged Channels Television severally to consider public interest before any programme is broadcast.

This, he said, was to ensure that the country was not plunged into anarchy.

“Consequently, on the following infractions, Channels Television is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N5,000,000 (five million naira) only in the first instance,” he said.

He added that any further infraction by the television station would attract higher sanctions.

“You are advised to pay within two weeks from the day of receipt of this letter or the penalty will be graduated,” the NBC Director-General said

(NAN) 

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JUST IN : IMO LABOUR PARTY GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANT FOUND DEAD

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Labour Dead

A governorship aspirant under the platform of the Labour Party in Imo state, Chief Humphrey Anumudu, has been found dead in his house.

WITHIN NIGERIA reports that his death comes after his return from a meeting at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

He died in his Lagos house in what family sources described as a “spiritual attack.”

A close friend of the deceased said he died around 5:30 pm on Friday.

Neither his family, nor party has made official statement on the development.

This is a developing story…

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