Saturday, October 23, 2010
EKENSINTERNATIONAL: NIGERIA POLITICS AND THE 2011 ELECTION
EKENSINTERNATIONAL: NIGERIA POLITICS AND THE 2011 ELECTION: "NIGERIA POLITICS AND THE 2011 ELECTION Why I support (PDP) zoning, and why Nigerians should vote for IBB come to 2011 By (EKENS AZUBUIKE) Th..."
NIGERIA 2011 ELECTION BY EKENSINTERNATIONAL
Rising from its 53rd National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the party held at its National Secretariat, the PDP released its guidelines for the primaries for the 2011 general elections, just as it fixed October 8 for the emergence of governorship candidates on the party’s platform.
Noting that the guidelines will also govern the election of ad-hoc ward delegates and national delegates, the PDP said that publication of Notice of PDP Congresses, Special/National Conventions and Purchase and Return of Expression of Interest and nomination Forms by Aspirants to Elective Offices began yesterday, September 15.
According to the Party, the Purchase of Collection and Return of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms by State Assembly, Gubernatorial, National Assembly and Presidential Aspirants also fixed for same date, while election of three ad-hoc Ward Delegates nationwide would hold today while election for national delegates and state assembly primaries would hold September 26.
According to the party, presidential aspirants seeking to fly the party’s flag in the 2011 Presidential Election would pay N1 million for expression of interest, while N10 million is for the nomination form.
Also yesterday, the party formally granted waiver to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, whose fate has been placed on a balance since the last NEC meeting following the inability of the party to grant waiver to him.
Atiku gets waiver
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Ahmed Alkali stressed that screening of Presidential aspirants would commence on October 14, while appeals arising from such screening would be head on October 17.
In the staggered primary, the party, in line with the letters of the 2010 Electoral Guidelines approved by the National Assembly and released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Special Conventions in the North Central and South Eastern stated States and FCT would be held on October 18.
According to the party, primaries for the North West and South South Zones would hold on October 19, while states in North East and South west Zones would hold theirs on October 20, just as the National Convention to collate the decision of all the zones would hold at an undisclosed venue on October 23.
According to Alkali, NEC decisions were based on the letters of Article 12.72 (i) and 17.1 and 2 of the party’s constitution, noting that though female aspirants to all the positions would not be required to join their male counterparts to pay nomination fee, they would, however, pay expression of interest fee of N1 million for presidential aspirants, N500,000.00 for gubernatorial aspirants, N200,000.00 for Senatorial aspirants; House of Representatives pegged at N100,000.00 and State House of Assembly, N100,000.00.
Special Congresses (Primary Elections) and LGAs in Senatorial District 1; LGAs in North or West Senatorial District 2 and LGAs in Senatorial District 3 would hold on October 6, October 7 and October 8, respectively, while appeals arising from such congresses would hold on October 10.
Critical issues
Alkali said: “The meeting considered critical issues affecting the Party,especially preparations for the forthcoming General Elections following the release of a time-table by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. In the exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 12.72 (i) and 17.1 and 2 of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, the National Executive Committee approved Guidelines for the conduct of primaries for the election of candidates for the offices of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, State Governors, Members of the National Assembly and Members of the State Houses of Assembly. The guidelines will also govern the election of Ad-Hoc ward delegates and National delegates.
“For the Presidential Primaries, NEC approved as follows: i. Screening of Aspirants, October 14 2010; ii.Screening Appeals, October 17 2010; iii. Special Conventions in States and FCT/ (Presidential Primaries) States in north Central and South East (Zones 1); States in North West and South South (Zones 2) and States in North East and South west (Zones 3), October 18, October 19 and October 20 respectively.
“The Ratification National Convention will hold on October 23, 2010. For the purpose of nominating the Party’s Presidential Candidate, each of the 774 Local Government Party Chapters shall produce one (1) National Delegate to the Special Conventions through a special Local Government Congress.
The Party’s Executive at the ward, local government, State, zonal and National levels shall by virtue of their respective offices be automatic delegates to the Local Government, Special Congresses. Other automatic delegates include the LG Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen and Councilors, members of the National and State Assemblies members of the Board of Trustees, President/Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, State Governor and Deputy Governors who are members of the Party.
“Three Ward delegates at the ward congress shall emerge by direct voting by all card carrying members registered at the wards. One National delegate shall emerge at the Local Government Congress and shall be voted by the three ad-hoc delegates and the various Local Government/Ward Executives. NEC received applications for waivers from various state Executive Committees and gave the following approvals:- i. Adamawa State: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Imo State, Dr. (Mrs.) Ada Okwuonu (Deputy Governor), Chief Chikwem Onuoha and Mrs. Ijeoma Nwafor.”
“For Abia State, Hon. Charles Chinedum Elechi (Abia State House of Assembly) and Prince N. Okoro (Abia State House of Assembly), were granted waiver while, in Edo State, Dr. David Imuse, Anambra State, Senator Alphonsus Igbeke and Kogi State, Chief Olusola Akanmode, Sen. Mohammed Salami Ohiare, Sen. Salihu Otaru Ohize, Hon. Abdulkareem Saliu, Hon. Suleiman Kokori Abdul, Arc. Abdulmumeen Ahmed Okara and Hon. Momoh Jimoh Anda received the waiver. In view of time and tight election schedules NEC mandated the National Working Committee to treat all future applications for waivers for the 2011 General Elections.”
Speaking further, the PDP’s spokesperson said that NEC resolved to put it on hold in view of limited time available for the conduct of Congresses and Convention.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the waiver granted him by the party as victory for democracy, just as he welcomed the ratification of his waiver by NEC of the party.
Atiku Abubakar who noted that it was the right thing to do, however, hailed the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), the NEC, stakeholders and other party faithful for their moral courage. He said: “It is time to chart a new course for the PDP by entrenching true democracy and the rule of law. It is not about me. It is about ensuring that we deepen our democracy by entrenching inclusiveness in our party’s quest to usher in a new order,”
He, however, extended a hand of friendship and fellowship to all members of the PDP in particular and Nigerians in general, even as he called on his supporters and all lovers of democracy to come on board and join hands with him in his avowed bid to make good things happen.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
NIGERIA POLITICS AND THE 2011 ELECTION
Notable Reforms of IBB
Under the Babangida administration Nigeria demonstrated to the world its capacity to play the highest leadership role in African affairs. The formation of the West African Peace Monitoring Force, ECOMOG (a Babangida initiative), anchored by bold and heroic Nigerian troops, brought peace to war-torn Liberia and Sierra Leone, an achievement that further cemented the role of Nigeria as the great protector and promoter of international peace.
Other Notable Reforms and People-Oriented Programmes
1. Abrogation of Decree No 4 (Protection of Public Officers Against False Accusation Decree) 1984
2. Abrogation of import and export licensing regime
3. Dissolution of Nigerian National Supply Company
4. Abolition of commodity marketing boards
5. Elimination of price control
6. Reduction of import duties on newsprint
7. Ban on the importation of rice
8. Ban on importation of wheat
9. Establishment of the National Planning Commission
10. Institutionalizing Central Bank autonomy
11. Establishment of the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM)
12. Deregulation of capital and financial markets
13. Establishment of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC)
14. Establishment of National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND)
15. Abolition of fixed exchange rate for the naira
16. Establishment of the Peoples Bank
17. Licensing of more banks and finance houses
18. Introduction of community banking system
19. Introduction of bureaux de change
20. Establishment of stable tariff regime
21. Introduction of civil service reforms
22. Establishment of the Political Bureau and conduct of nationwide public debate on the IMF loan
23. Introduction of two party political system
24. Introduction of Open Ballot and Option A4 voting System
25. Introduction of Local Government Reform
26. Educational sector reform and the Introduction of 6-3-3-4 System
27. Establishment of more federal Universities and Polytechnics
28. Establishment of the Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization of Public Enterprises under which 55 public enterprises, including nine banks, were privatized through public offers on the Nigerian Stock Exchange
29. Reform of obsolete colonial laws; and abrogation of law making ‘’wandering’’ an offence
30. Establishment of the Urban Mass Transit Programme
31. Institution of the Primary Healthcare Programme
32. Establishment of the National Commission for Women
33. Establishment of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency
34. Enactment of Copyright Law and establishment of Copyright Council
35. Allocation of oil prospecting acreages to Nigerian oil companies
36. Establishment of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority
37. Establishment of special supervised Agricultural and Industrial Credit Schemes
38. Establishment of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the creation of the Calabar EPZ
39. Conduct of the 1991 National Population Census
40. Establishment of the Federal Road Safety Corps
41. Establishment of the National Health Insurance Scheme
42. Establishment of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC)
43. Establishment Of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), now the Niger Delta Development Commission
44. Establishment of the National Boundary Commission
45. Establishment of National Communications Commission
46. Establishment of the National Broadcasting Commission
47. Institutionalizing of the National Housing Fund
48. Establishment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
49. Establishment of Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission
50. Reorganization of Nigerian Police into Zone commands
51. Establishment of National Guard
52. Reduction in the size of the military
53. Reorganization of security services into three arms from the former single Nigerian Security organization, i.e. State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency
54. Resumption of diplomatic relations with Israel
55. Establishment of Technical Aid Corps
Major Projects Completed
1. Federal Government Secretariat (Phase 1 & 11), Abuja
2. International Conference Centre, Abuja
3. Abuja International Airport (Phase 1 & 11)
4. The Presidential Villa, Abuja
5. National Assembly Complex, Abuja
6. The Supreme Court Complex, Abuja
7. Lagos Third Mainland Bridge
8. Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road dualization
9. Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri-Ore standard-gauge railway line
10. Digital telecommunication gateways: Lanlate (North), Enugu (East), Lagos (West)
11. Onne Fertilizer Plant in Rivers State
12. Kaduna Superphosphate Fertilizer Plant
13. Warri Petrochemical plant
14. Elesa Eleme Petroleum Refinery in Rivers State
15. Kaduna Petrochemical plant
16. The Escravos-Lagos Gas pipeline
17. Jebba and Shiroro hydro-electricity projects
18. Egbin Thermal Power Station in Lagos
19. Challawa Gorge Dam
20. Nigeria House in New York, USA
21. Ajaokuta Steel Plant (Phase 1)
22. The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project, Bonny
23. The Oso Condensate Plant in Akwa Ibom State
24. NNPC headquarters in Abuja
25. Aluminium Smelter Plant in Akwa Ibom State
26. Niger Dock (Africa’s largest dry dock), Snake Island
27. Nigerian Machine Tools Manufacturing Co., Oshogbo
28. Military cantonments, Abuja
29. National Intelligence Agency administration headquarters
30. Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company factory, Abuja
For the best future of Nigeria and Africa, together we can change a nation
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