The 1999 Nigerian Constitution is like the system of Victorian treaties of the past!

By Ndidi Uwechue

Although indigenous peoples of Nigeria curse Frederick Lugard, the Amalgamator, before him was an equally unjust man also with racial supremacist views: the merchant George Dashwood Taubman Goldie who formed the Royal Niger Company (RNC), originally the United African Company then the National African Company. Even before obtaining a Royal Charter that gave Goldie and his company enormous powers, Goldie had managed to get Treaties signed by native Traditional Rulers. Some would have signed those Treaties under threats (“by gunpoint”) but some would have happily signed them for personal gain (ie the willing tools). By these Treaties, Traditional Rulers handed over the Sovereignty of their People to Goldie and his RNC. Quoting from Royal Niger Company by nigerianscholars.com: 

“Even before gaining its charter, the [Royal Niger] Company signed treaties with local leaders which granted it broad Sovereign powers. One 1885 treaty read:

We, the undersigned King and Chiefs […] with the view to the bettering of the condition of our country and people, do this day cede to the National Africa Company (Limited), their heirs and assigns, forever, the whole of our territory […] We also give the said National African Company (Limited) full power to settle all native disputes arising from any cause whatever, and we pledge ourselves not to enter into any war with other tribes without the sanction of the said National Africa Company (Limited).

We also understand that the said National African Company (limited) have full power to mine, farm, and build in any portion of our territory. We bind ourselves not to have any intercourse with any strangers or foreigners except through the said national African Company (Limited), and we give the said National African Company (Limited) full power to exclude all other strangers and foreigners from their territory at their discretion.

In consideration of the foregoing, the said National African Company (Limited) bind themselves not to interfere with any of the native laws or customs of the country, consistently with the maintenance of order and good government … [and] agree to pay native owners of land a reasonable amount for any portion they may require.

The said National African Company (Limited) bind themselves to protect the said King and Chiefs from the attacks of any neighbouring tribes (Ibid.).

The company considered itself the sole legitimate government of the area, with executive, legislative and judicial powers, all subordinate to the rule of a council created by the company board of directors in London…”

While the Nigerian reader may be shocked at the text of this example of a Treaty in Victorian times, TODAY the 1999 Constitution, a known Forgery foisted upon Nigerians achieves the very same thing! Here are some ways the 1999 Constitution robs Nigerians. Firstly, by the false claims in its Preamble, the Sovereignty and Self-Determination of indigenous Ethnic Nations are hijacked, and it is made to look as if Ethnic Nations put their signatures to it.

Secondly, through the 68-item Exclusive List (Second Schedule, Part One) indigenous Ethnic Nations lose control of their lands and the valuable resources in them. 

Moreover, since Arms and Ammunition are in this Exclusive List, Ethnic Nations cannot protect themselves against armed invaders, and must depend on Central Government, and if such government has been accused of being complicit with the genocidal insecurity as President Buhari has been, indigenous peoples then face a serious existential threat.

Thirdly, although in Chapter 2 of that 1999 Constitution, welfare and security are promised to Nigerians, these are cunningly ousted in Chapter 1 by section 6. (6)(c).

Just as those Treaties of old were intended to steal from indigenous peoples, and dispossess them, those are also the goals of the illegitimate 1999 Constitution, whose beneficiaries are the Fulani, rigged into dominating power by the departing British in 1960. As the NINAS Alliance of indigenous Ethnic Nations of the South and Middle Belt has identified, that 1999 Constitution is the instrument used to rob indigenous Ethnic Nations, and also bring about Ahmadu Bello’s Declaration of 1960 that Nigeria would be converted into the “estate” of the immigrant settler Fulani. 

Sovereignty is defined as the most essential attribute of an indigenous Ethnic nation in its ancestral land, meaning that it has dominion and supremacy to control its present and its future. Therefore, playing the role of the “ever ignorant African” is not advisable in this, the 21^st century. So it is not acceptable for indigenous Ethnic Nations of Nigeria to continue to allow the 1999 Constitution to rob them of their inalienable position of Sovereignty, and power of Self-Determination. The same way Nigerians are today horrified that (somehow) those Victorian-age Treaties got signed, is the same way future generations will be horrified that indigenous Ethnic Nations allowed the operation of a Forgery, that illegitimate 1999 Constitution, over them, their resources, their lands, and their future. Therefore, terminating the operation of the 1999 Constitution is a task that MUST be done! 

As at today, the 1999 Constitution has been Repudiated and a Constitutional Force Majeure declared. Not surprisingly, the Fulani-dominated government has refused to acknowledge this – a big mistake on their part because indigenous Ethnic Nations did not make or agree that 1999 Constitution, and therefore did not sign away their Sovereignty. What not just Nigerians, but the rest of West Africa deserve is that Unitary Nigeria, a Union of death maintained by gunpoint, be brought down in a peaceful and controlled manner, and then be Renegotiated using globally accepted tools, which is what the NINAS-template Transitioning Arrangement is about. The NINAS Propositions have been on the Table since 16 December 2020. 

Ndidi Uwechue is a British citizen with Igbo heritage from the Lower Niger Bloc. She is a retired Metropolitan (London) Police Officer, she is a signatory to the Constitutional Force Majeure, and she writes from Abuja.

Niger Delta Congress issues statement – condemns acts of terrorism against the Middle Belt people

The Niger Delta Congress (NDC) has issued a statement condemning acts of terrorism against the peoples of the Middle Belt in the wake of herdsmen attacks in Southern Kaduna and Benue

In a statement signed by Mudiaga Ogboru, the National spokesperson for the NDC, the statement read:

“In our commitment to see the entrenchment of Justice, and the sociopolitical and socioeconomic advancement of the Niger Delta, it would be against the dictates of good conscience to be silent in the face of oppression as it affects other peoples in other regions in Nigeria, who like us yearn for justice, security and prosperity.

In the past few days, Middle Belt States such as Benue and the Southern parts of Kaduna have been at the receiving end of terrorist attacks which has led to death, destruction and despair within the indigenous communities in this region. These different attacks have been reported to have resulted in the tragic loss of lives of no less than 60 persons.

We are concerned by the provocative incompetence of those in government charged with the responsibility to secure the people and their communities, and because we affirm the sanctity of life, we call on all stakeholders at all levels, all people of conscience to lend their voices to the Middle Belt in this period of its festering security challenges to ensure that the killers responsible for these atrocities are brought to justice.

On behalf of the Niger Delta peoples, the NDC commiserates with the communities and families of the victims of these resurgent terror attacks and show solidarity with the peoples of the Middle Belt. May Justice and prosperity prevail in the Middle Belt as we pray and demand that it prevails in the Niger Delta”

Nasarawa Election: INEC Disobeys Court Order, Threatens to Destroy Evidence

Following an order of the court mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to allow the Peoples Democratic Party PDP access to inspect election materials used in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Nasarawa state, the PDP has raised concerns over what it described as threat of the Nasarawa state INEC office to destroy election materials used in the election.

The PDP raised the concerns in a statement signed by its Nasarawa state Secretary, Alhaji Adamu Bako Ninga and made available to Middle Belt Times in Lafia on Tuesday. The party said the state INEC office has denied her access to inspect the election materials as ordered by the court.

Recall that the PDP in the state had earlier rejected the declaration of Governor AA Sule as the winner of the Saturday 18th March governorship election. The declaration made by Professor Ishaya Tanko of the University of Jos has received wide condemnations leading to mass protests in the state.

The statement reads in full;

INEC Nasarawa State Office yesterday refused to obey the court order directing them to allow the legal team of the PDP to inspect the documents/reports of the 18 March 2023 governorship election in the state.
Even more disturbing is the alleged threat by the administrative secretary of INEC In the state Alh Musa Usman Wase to destroy the documents/reports in order to hide the evidence of the massive rigging that took place at Gayam and Chiroma wards in Lafia and in Tunga in Awe LGAs.
The Admin Secretary Alh Musa Usman Wase reportedly directed that no document on the election should be released to our lawyers despite the the court order and our official request for the documents.
Besides, there are strong rumors of threat by the Admin Secretary to tamper with the documents because of the obvious discrepancies between the iRev results and the figures announced by the INEC returning officer declaring Abdullahi Sule as winner.
The PDP wishes to alert the public that Usman Wase is working to frustrate the PDP Legal team and to tamper with election documents to hide the rigging that took place in Lafia and Awe LGAs.
PDP calls on the INEC National Chairman to direct the Lafia office to respect the Order of the courts and to immediately release the certified true copies and allow our legal team inspect the election materials.
We condemn the blatant partisanship of Usman Wase and the Director of Operations and the alleged threat to tamper with records of the Governorship election in Nasarawa state.

Uni Jos VC, Tanko, Other Profs Listed Among 2023 Election Riggers by Intersociety

..FUTO VC, Prof Oti, few others exempted

Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria, Sunday 26th March 2023.

Professor Ishaya Tanko, the Vice Chancellor of the prestigious University of Jos was over the weekend listed in an inglorious list of intellectuals who helped mastermind electoral frauds in different parts of the country during the just concluded 2023 general elections. The list compiled by The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) described the acts of the intellectuals as shameful while commending few intellectuals who distinguished themselves despite so much pressure during the elections.

Recall that Professor Tanko, a professor of computer science was the state returning officer for the Nasarawa state gubernatorial election. The election has been widely condemned for its lack of credibility with mass protests rocking the mineral rich state since the declaration of Governor AA Sule as winner.

The report reads in full;

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has investigated and found that 50 top Nigerian university professors played various conspiratorial or vicarious roles in the brutal poll rigging and voter suppression in the 25th Feb Presidential/National Assembly and the 18th March 2023 Governorship/State Assembly Polls. Among the 50 university professors conspiratorially or vicariously involved are 34 Vice Chancellors and a Deputy Vice Chancellor drawn from Federal, State and Private Universities across the country. Apart from the 50 culpably or conspiratorially involved Nigerian University Professors, there are also 34 others involved; including ten Doctorate Degree holders and other former top military, police and spy police officers and former ministers and Government Commissioners including Engineer Olufemi Odunbiyi, former Commissioner for Science and Technology in Lagos State and APC chieftain who was recently placed in charge of INEC ICT as Director. There are also 17 university professors among the 37 INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioners and 12 National Commissioners widely or publicly accused of coordinating the 2023 armada of electoral fraud. Generally speaking, a total of 88 university professors and other experts are found to be conspiratorially or vicariously involved out of the number, only four are exempted and worthy to be celebrated as heroes of Democracy in Nigeria or any part thereof.

UNIZIK, FUTO, Umudike Agric VCs And Abia REC Exempted

Exempted from the culpability list are Vice-Chancellors of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof Charles Esimone, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Prof Nnenna Otti, Michael Okpara Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Prof Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe and Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia State, Prof Ike Uzochukwu. VC Esimone of UNIZIK was exempted on account of his doggedness and refusal to compromise the results of the Presidential Poll in Imo State where he served as the ‘State Collation Officer’. His refusal to compromise also pitched him against the State Government and Commissioner of Police. VC Nnenna Otti of FUTO, Owerri was outstanding in her handling of the Abia State Governorship Election of 18th March 2023 where she served as ‘Collation Officer’. Even at the risk of her life and liberty, she remained adamant for truth and in the end, her resilience and resistance triumphed. VC Maduebibisi Iwe of Umudike Agric University was exempted for being resolute and refusing to compromise the Nkanu East doctored results in the Enugu State Governorship of 18th March 2023 where he served as “Collation Officer”. Intersociety also gathered that the erudite and courageous VC held his ground at INEC Headquarters during the “review” and back in Enugu; he still held his ground until the results were corruptly announced against his will. REC Prof Ike Uzochukwu as Abia REC is singled out for exemption on account of his courage and refusal to compromise the results of the State’s Senatorial and House of Reps poll leading to ‘his executive captivity’ until after the announcement of the results at gunpoint using an INEC Admin official. Abia REC’s ‘executive abduction’ was blamed on the on the Abia State Police Command and the State DSS Directorate. On regaining his liberty, Abia REC Prof Uzochukwu addressed the media and disclosed that “some candidates announced as winners were not the real winners of the poll”.

A Society Where University VCs/Professors Have Become Election Riggers Is Irreparably Doomed

By direct perpetrators, they are unlawful conducts direct perpetrators that order, supervise and execute the unlawful acts such as coordination of election rigging or voter suppression and facilitation or supervision of the destruction of evidence-to cover up the unlawful acts. By vicarious liability or responsibility, it is the inescapable responsibility of the superiors for the acts of their subordinates or, the responsibility of any third party that had the “right, ability or duty to control the activities of a violator or a perptaror, but failed or declined to do same.” It is also a liability assigned to an employer or other principal for his agent’s or employee’s acts performed in the course of employment or other duty. The two definitions above aptly capture the involvement in the referenced armada of electoral fraud, of Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the Commission’s National Commissioner for Voter Education, Festus Okoye Esquire and its serving 12 National Commissioners and 37 State Resident Commissioners and Director of ICT as well as the Commission’s hired 37 ad hoc States and FCT Collation Officers. Intersiociety is deeply worried that Nigeria has become a country where university vice-chancellors and professors engage in brazen election rigging and widspread suppression of voters. The damage done on Nigerian universities and their students as well as the country’s corporate image is also gravely irraparable. The rigger-professors and experts involved deserve nothing less than international visa bans and international movement and exchange programs’ restrictions in Europe, North and South America and democratic South-East Asian countries.

We Saw It Coming When APC Apologists And Integrity Challenged Others Became RECs In 2022

The road to the current messy situation at INEC became well noticed following the flooding of the INEC’s list of Electoral Commissioners (14 new RECs and 5 reappointed others) with APC apologists and integrity challenged others. The Buhari/Osinbajo Presidency had on 26th July 2022 forwarded the list to the Senate for confirmation. Critics and activists raised serious concerns over the inclusion of such integrity challenged persons as RECs in brazen violation of paragraph 14 (2a) of the Third Schedule to Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and Section 2 (3) of the INEC Establishment Act of 2004. According to the Constitutional Paragraph 14 (2a): “a Resident Electoral Commissioner shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity” and by Section 2 (3) of the INEC Establishment Act, 2004: “the Chairman and members of the Commission (INEC) shall be non partisan and persons of unquestionable character”. According to informed critics, among the card-carrying APC members and apologists nominated as Resident Electoral Commissioners are: Muhammad Lawal Bashir, a 2015 APC governorship aspirant in Sokoto State; Pauline Onyeka Ugochi, a former head of INEC’s ICT in Imo State publicly accused of corruption and conniving with politicians in undermining elections; Elizabeth Queen Agwu, a former Accountant General of Ebonyi State reportedly suspended in 2016 for corruption and incompetence; and Prof Uchenna Sylvia Agu, a Enugu State APC nominee and younger sister of the current APC National Deputy Chairman for South-East Region. Criticism against them and others was part of the findings by some Civil Society Organizations ‘working for the promotion of Democracy in Nigeria’ as contained in their recent press conference addressed by the Director of Int’l Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade. The CSOs critic include: Yiaga Africa, the Kukah Centre, Int’l Press Center, Centre for Media and Society, the Albino Foundation, Elect Her, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Partners for Electoral Reforms and Inclusive Friends Association.

Names Of 34 Conspiratorially Culpable University VCs /Professors As “State/FCT Collation Officers”

Abia: Professor Abel Ezeoha Deputy Vice-chancellor Alex Ekwueme University Abakaliki, Adamawa: Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, Akwa Ibom: Professor Emmanuel Adigio Vice-chancellor Nigeria Maritime University, Bauchi: Professor Abdulkarim Mohammed Vice-chancellor Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Bayelsa: Professor Lilian Salami Vice-chancellor University of Benin, Benue: Professor Faruk Adamu Kuta Vice-chancellor Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Borno: Professor Jude Rabo Vice-chancellor Federal University Wukari, Cross River: Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh Vice-chancellor Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, Delta: Professor Owuneri Abraham Georgewill Vice-chancellor University of Porth Harcourt, Ebonyi: Professor Charles Arinze Igwe Vice-chancellor University of Nigeria Nsukka, Edo: Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo Vice-chancellor University of Uyo Akwa Ibom, Ekiti: Professor Akeem Lasisi Vice-chancellor Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, Gombe: Professor Maimuna Waziri Vice-chancellor Federal University, Gashua, Jigawa: Professor Arma-Ya’u Hamisu Bichi Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, Kaduna: Professor Saleh Ado Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kano: Professor Sulieman Bilbis Othman Danfodio University Sokoto State, Katsina: Professor Mu’azu Abubakar Gusau Vice-chancellor Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, Kebbi: Professor Usman Saidu, Kogi: Professor Wahab Egbenwole Vice-chancellor University of Ilorin, Kwara: Professor Paul Annune Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (formerly Federal University of Agriculture), Lagos: Professor Adenike Oladiji Vice-chancellor Federal University of Technology Akure, Nasarawa: Professor Ishaya Tanko Vice-chancellor University of Jos, Niger: Professor Clement Allawa Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration University of Abuja, Ogun: Professor Kayode Adebowale Vice-chancellor University of Ibadan, Ondo: Professor Abayomi Fashina Vice-chancellor Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Osun: Professor Tolulope Ogunsola Vice-Chancellor University of Lagos, Oyo: Professor Olusola Kehinde Vice-chancellor Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Plateau: Professor Shehu Abdulrahman Federal University, Lafia, Rivers: Professor Williams Addias Vice-chancellor Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Sokoto: Professor Muhammadu Kabir Bala Vice-chancellor Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Taraba: Professor Mohammad Ahmad Abdullaziz Vice-chancellor Abubakar Tafawabalewa University Bauchi (ATBU), Yobe: Professor Umaru Pate Vice-chancellor Federal University Kashere Gombe State, Zamfara: Professor Kashim Shehu and FCT: Professor Olayemi Akinwumi Vice-chancellor Federal University Lokoja

Names Of National Chairman And 12 Perpetrator-INEC National Commissioners

Prof Mahmood Yakubu (National Chairman), Prof Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Prof Sani Muhammad Adam, Prof Muhammad Sani Kallah, Prof Kunle Cornelius Ajayi, Prof Sam Olumekun, Prof Rhoda Gumus, Retired Major Gen Modibbo Alkali, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Festus Okoye Esquire, May Agbamuche-Mbu, Ukaegbu Nnamdi and Dr Baba Gila.

Names Of 37 Perpetrator INEC State Resident Electoral Commissioners And ICT Director

North-West: Prof Saidu Babura (Zamfara), Prof Muhammad Lawal Bashar (Jigawa), Prof Ibrahim Makarfi (Kastina), Ambassador Zango Abdu (Kano), Ahmed Bello Mahmud (Kaduna), Muhammed Ahmed Ushama (Admin Sec, Kebbi) and Dr Nura Ali (Sokoto-removed). North-East: Alhaji Mohammed Nura (Bauchi), Mohammed Ibrahim (Borno), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Yobe), Umar Ibrahim (Gombe), Hudu Yunusa Ari (Adamawa) and Alhaji Umar Muktar Gajiram (Taraba). North-Central: Alhaji Ahmed Yusha’u Garki (Niger State), Malam Attahiru Madami (Kwara), Dr. Hale Longpet (Kogi), Dr Uthman Ajidagba (Nasarawa), Prof Sam Egwu (Benue), Dr Tersoo Agundu (Plateau).

South-West: Dr Adeniran Tella, Dr Mutiu Agboke (Osun), Retired Spy Police Director Olusegun Agbaje (Lagos), Niyi Ijalaye (Ogun), Oyekola Oyelami (Ondo) and Prof Abayomi Salami (Ekiti). South-South: Prof Gabriel Yomere (Cross River), Johnson Sinikiem (Rivers), Hon Obo Effanga (Edo), Monday Udoh Tom (Delta), Dr Cyril Omorogbe (Akwa Ibom) and Emmanuel Alex-Hart (Bayelsa). South-East: Prof Sylvia Agu (Imo), Dr Queen Elizabeth Agwu (Anambra), Prof Chukwuemeka Chukwu (Enugu) and Mrs Pauline Ugochi Onyeka (Ebonyi). INEC Director of ICT: Olufemi Odunbiyi (former Commissioner of Science and Technology in Lagos State and APC chieftain).

Signed

For: International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law

Emeka Umeagbalasi (Criminologist)

Board Chair @ Intersociety

Chidinma Udegbunam Esquire

Head, Campaign and Publicity Department @ Intersociety

Ositadinma Agu

Head, Contacts and Mobilization Department @ Intersociety

Ndidiamaka Chinaza Bernard Esquire

Head, International Justice and Human Rights @ Intersociety

Contacts:

Phone/WhatsApp: +2348174090052

Email: info@intersociety-ng.org

Website: https://intersociety-ng.org

Special Appeal:

An appeal is persuasively and prayerfully made to public spirited bodies and persons to support our works for humanity. Those touched can reach us via WhatsApp Number: +2348100098016 for details of our bank account. Donations to Intersociety in support of its works will be duly appreciated and acknowledged and appropriately channeled.

PDP National Chairman Ayu ‘Suspended’ Over Alleged Anti-party Activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis assumed a new dimension on Sunday when Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national chairman, was’suspended’ by the party executives in his Igyorov Ward in the Gboko local government area of Benue State.

Ayu was charged with anti-party behavior.

Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti State, as well as the former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, were suspended by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), which also directed the Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, to appear before the party’s National Disciplinary Committee.

Ayu was suspended on Sunday as a result of the Ward Executives’ vote of no confidence in him and suspended him from the party, according to a resolution passed at the conclusion of the Ward meeting and read by the Secretary of Igyorov council ward, Mr. Banger Dooyum.

Mr Dooyum, while reading the resolution of the Ward Excos, said: “He (Ayu) was involved in anti-party activities making the PDP to lose at his ward and local government along with his allies who also didn’t vote at the Governorship Election.”

He was also accused of not paying his annual dues as enshrined by the party’s constitution.

It will be recalled that shortly after the Benue State Governor was referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of the PDP for anti-party activities by the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP chaired by Ayu, the Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, reacted by declaring that his Benue State counterpart will not appear before the Committee.

Suspected herdsmen kill five in Agatu & Otukpo in Benue State

Five individuals were slain in fresh attacks by alleged herders on certain communities in Benue State’s Otukpo and Agatu Local Government Areas.

Separate attacks were made at the Atakpa and Ogbaulu communities in the Agatu LGA, where four people are said to have died and numerous women were raped.

Also, it was learned that on Thursday, herders attacked the Iwili community in the Otukpo LGA again, this time killing one person.

According to Joseph Ngbede, the chairman of the Agatu LGA, who verified the incident, the alleged herders shot randomly at Atakpa by 5:00 PM on Thursday and had an unknown goal.

He claimed that authorities were still looking for the missing Atakpa youth leader. He continued by saying that Ogbalu was in danger close to the settlement of Atakpa.

Four people have been killed so far, one is missing, and another was hurt, according to Ngbede.

Ibrahim Galma, the state secretary of the Nigerian Miyeitti Alla Cattle Breeders Association, stated that a meeting to discuss the problem was now taking place.

When reached, Catherine Anene, a spokeswoman for the Benue State Police Command, confirmed the attack in Agatu but said more information had not yet been received.

Anene stated, “Agatu event is confirmed, however the comprehensive report has not yet been sent.”

Nasarawa PDP Declares 7-day Protest

Yesterday, protesters demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) examine the outcome of the governorship election in Nasarawa State.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Stakeholders-led demonstrators in Nasarawa State’s Karu local government area demanded the resignation of the state’s resident electoral commissioner immediately.

INEC was accused of bias in the way the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections were handled by the party leadership in Karu.

With signs reading “#INEC We Say No To Manipulations; #INEC Keep Your Promise; International Communities Save Our Country Our Leaders Are Compromised; Protect Us From Manipulators; We Need Our Nation To Be Cleansed From Injustice And Manipulation; The Will And Rights Of The People Must Be Respected,” protesters also voiced their displeasure with the results.
The group’s leader, Comrade Chindo Allahyayi, announced the start of a seven-day protest at the group’s Karu headquarters and requested the commission to reinstate the people’s mandate.

We are starting a seven-day protest to inform the entire state and country that our candidate has won, he declared. We are thus requesting that INEC reconsider its judgment right now and declare our candidate the winner.

“We are urging people to return to the IReV portal and review all the results from all the voting places in the 13 LGA of Nasarawa State so they can clearly see that David Ombugadu, a candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won the March 18 governorship in Nasarawa State.

Because it won’t result in a healthy society, we strongly denounced the election rigging, Allahyayi stated.
The Coalition for Ombugadu Campaign’s public relations representative requested the commission to change course and examine its operations.

Middle Belt Politics: How Uni Jos VC Masterminded Electoral Heist, Throwing Nasarawa State into Chaos

Professor Ishaya Tanko, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos and the INEC State Returning Officer for the just concluded gubernatorial election in Nasarawa state has been trending albeit for the wrong reason. While his counterparts in other parts of Nigeria are receiving praises for their integrity and refusal to compromise during their electoral duty, Tanko is being dragged for poorly masterminding one of the greatest electoral heist in the history of the Middle Belt which has thrown Nasarawa into chaos and mourning.

Tanko and his cronies deliberately delayed the release of results from local governments that were known to be under the government’s influence. They even stalled the collation process in wards within the state capital itself, all in an effort to manipulate the outcome of the election.

Local governments in places like Awe and Lafia, where the influence of the government reigns, were purposefully delayed, pending the release of all other results. It even trickled down to wards in the state capital – (Ciroma and Gayam) which were unable to complete collation in 2days, whilst other states concluded their elections in a day

The same Gayam and Ciroma were later ruled inconclusive due to suspicious circumstances, including the military’s abrupt withdrawal and admission that it could not guarantee the safety of the INEC officials in the region.

Additional inconsistencies include the fact that Nasarawa received 540,566 votes for the presidency and the total Governorship votes suspiciously rose to 650,357. 109,791 more people in just three weeks.

Furthermore, although the break down of votes scored by the four top candidates in the Lafia Central House of Assembly Constituency Election where Ciroma and Gayam wards were:

SDP 17, 861
PDP 17, 113
APC 16, 413
NNPP 15, 209

Total=66,596

APC and Prof Tanko Ishaya manufactured over 107,000 votes for AA Sule and allocated only 41000 to Umbugadu whereas those who voted for the Governorship election were the same number that voted for the Lafia Central Constituency. This begs the inference that some voters just came to the polls to cast their votes for the governorship and left without collecting the House of Assembly ballots.

Not unexpectedly, 91,000 of the 109,791 new voters are the result of the two local governments whose announcement INEC postponed. Isn’t that just convenient?

Due to INEC’s tardiness, there appeared to be an extraordinary population explosion in all of the wards and local governments that were called late. Suspicious?

It was also alleged that Governor Yahaya Bello, Elrufai, and Tinubu’s running mate, Shettima were sighted in Nasarawa at the time this electoral heist took place, which suggests that there was more going on in the state than what first appears to be the case.

And to crown it all up, Tanko, who had initially postponed the collation of results till 9am, suddenly reconvened at 7am when PDP members and agents have been forced to leave the center and declared AA Sule the winner.

The figures on the INEC results portal as uploaded from the various polling units contradict what Professor Tanko and his co-travellers manufactured, showing clearly that David Ombagadu is the actual winner of the election.

Now, complicating matters in the state even more, a reliable source within the PDP has confirmed that Atiku supported AA Sule of the APC over David Ombagadu, the PDP candidate for governor, because of sentiments related to religion and ethnicity, and also due to the fact that AA Sule and Atiku have a long business history together.

What makes this even more objectionable is that, should the case get to court, Ishaya Tanko’s wife is the secretary of the High Court in Abuja, which means she’ll probably have a role to play there.

Even more perplexing and disheartening is the fact that Professor Tanko, a native of Southern Kebbi, a region of the Middle Belt, will allow himself to be used as a tool in regard to the subjugation of other Middle Belt natives.

Protests have erupted in Nasarawa as women are protesting naked against what they call “their stolen mandate”

Note that, going by the pattern of voting in Nasarawa state, the Eggons happened to have constantly won the two House of Assembly stools in Lafia. In fact, they won it this time in the PDP and SDP. It is illogical to say their kinsman would lose the Gubernatorial election.

Professor Tanko has not only brought chaos to Nasarawa state but has also brought shame to the entire Middle Belt for allowing himself to be used for pecuniary motives.

Protests Rock Nasarawa as Indigenes reject Election results

Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, has been rocked by protesters’ blocking of the Total roundabout, which has resulted in gridlock.

According to reports, the demonstrators are unhappy with the results of the state’s recently held gubernatorial election.

The atmosphere in Nasarawa is still tense, and many locals are worried that the violence may develop.

In addition, no fewer than 500 women from 13 local government areas of the state, who were dressed in black clothes, stormed Lafia, the state capital to demand the cancellation of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Witnesses clarified that the protest was initiated because INEC had declared a winner of the governorship race despite there being disagreement over the results from the state capital’s Gayam and Ciroma electoral districts.

Stella Oboshi when interviewed stated “The governorship election and that of the House of Assembly were done the same day, the same time and with the same election materials. But the governorship election was announced, and that of the House of Assembly has not been announced up till this moment because it was declared inconclusive.

“If Gayam and Ciroma electoral wards results from Lafia LGA were included in the results that INEC announced for the governorship election but the Assembly elections were inconclusive in the same wards, then INEC should also declare the governorship election inconclusive so that we can start from afresh.”

This is the 3rd day of protests and the Nasarawa State Police Command has are yet to issue a statement as at the time of filing this report.

Annul 2023 Presidential election and constitute Interim government -Protesters Tell Buhari

…Call for immediate arrest of INEC Chairman over electoral fraud

A group of protesters under the auspices of Free Nigeria Movement on Tuesday in Abuja called on President Muhammadu Buhari to annul the February 25 presidential election and constitute an interim government pending the conduct of a fresh election.

The group also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Prof Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for allegedly supervising what they described as a fraudulent presidential election.They made the demand during a protest to the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Convener of group, Moses Ogidi-Paul, who spoke on behalf of the group, expressed their displeasure over the conduct of the February 25 presidential election.

His speech in full: “On the 25th of February, 2023, Nigerians trooped to their polling units with one mission, to cast their ballots and choose their next leaders.

“Our binding lines were unbroken: in ideology, they held us together; in trust, they washed us like water; in truth, they kept us alive. We breathed the full breadth of what being citizens should be in a progressive secular society. So, when the day finally arrived, we had no doubt in our hearts, in the portion that always questions truths, that our votes must count. But nothing could bolster our belief like the assurances by Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, and INEC chairman, Prof Yakubu Mahmoud.

“Recall that a little over a year ago, President Muhammadu Buhari appended his signature to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022. The fanfare that greeted that appendment can well claim recognition as one of the most colourful in our recent history due to its unbroken allegiance to the Nigerian spirit. On that day, we were neither Igbo, Hausa nor Yoruba. We were not Efik, Tiv or Urhobo. No, we were not Gbagyi, Kanuri or Ijaw. On that day, we were Nigerians full of the positive energies of our land.

“I hate to announce that today in the heart of some, all this has gone to waste. You may have seen the video of the diasporan who tore his passport. Some other Nigerians have done the same to the fabric of identity because INEC through Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud chose to silence their voice.

“So I ask, “What is the value of democracy if the process that recruits its leaders consistently lacks credibility?” Perhaps, the answer is at the International Conference Center where Prof Yakubu Mahmoud began, sustained and concluded the collation and declaration of a candidate as winner of the presidential election based on falsehood contravening its guidelines and the Electoral Act.

“It is most disturbing that this was done in the full glare of the world. Never has our democracy been so sorely abused by any citizen in either public or private service. Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud has raised a bar of impunity that will cost our country many years of electoral excellence to correct.

“This was not the electronic transmission he promised Nigerians and the world at Chatham House. Prof Yakubu Mahmoud has lied to Nigerians and abused our right of choice.

“We pass a vote of no confidence and call for his immediate sack and prosecution. We cannot afford to continue the culture of performing lawlessness without consequences. We are as strong as our laws and as tall as our institutions. We cannot afford to descend any lower than this.

“We, therefore, call on President Muhammadu Buhari, whose commitment to free and fair elections is engraved in the legacy of the Electoral Act 2022, to initiate processes and procedures that will bring Nigeria under the control of an interim government pending the resolution of all litigations pertaining to the conduct of the February 25 presidential election.

“Our country needs healing. It will be counterproductive to allow a fraudulent process to subsist as fraud will eternally birth fraud. We cannot grow our democracy on falsehood and suspicion.

“The holes in our national fabric must be woven shut. One way is to immediately establish a Truth and Reconciliation Committee in Lagos State and other flashpoints of voter intimidation and violence during the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State Assembly elections. This will help build trust, confidence and further ethnic cooperation among Nigerians.”