Lest we sweep our democracy away

Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission once again postponed an election after much arm-twisting by Nigerian security agencies, few days to the date set for the polls. This happened when most stakeholders had mobilised for the Edo State governorship election fixed for Saturday, September 10.
The postponement set off the alarm bells for many of us. This is because it brought back memories of February 2015 when INEC also shifted the country’s general elections: presidential, governorship and National Assembly, just one week to the date of the presidential election. Recall that on that occasion, the security agencies as spearheaded by the Office of the National Security Adviser submitted an advisory to INEC urging it to shift the elections. They claimed that given their new attempt at crushing the insurgents in parts of the country, they were not available to provide the needed security cover for the election. What we saw then was INEC being forced to act without independence.

Edo guber: Ikimi predicts landslide victory for Ize-Iyamu

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, has predicted a landslide victory for the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, that will so shock the APC that the party will not contest the outcome.
Addressing journalists in Benin weekend, Ikimi said the new date for the election guarantees security for all and sundry so voters will be better assured that they can go out and exercise their

Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidacy illegal – Ebiseni

A governorship aspirant in the Ali Modu Sheriff People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s camp in Ondo State, Bar. Sola Ebiseni Monday described the faction’s primary election which produced a business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, as illegal.
Ebiseni, who was a former Commissioner for Environment, under Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s administration, said he had already petitioned the Appeal Committee of the party to readdress the matter.
Ebiseni and Ibrahmi were the only two aspirants, who participated in the poll which was held in Ibadan, Oyo after three others aspirants had dropped their ambitions for Ibrahim.
In the exercise, Ibrahim scored 502 votes to defeat Ebiseni, who got 41 votes.
The legal practitioner stated this when granting an interview with reporters in Akure, the state capital for the first time since the primary was conducted two weeks ago.
He blamed the two factions of the party in the state for organizing undemocratic primary elections, saying “what happened in Ibadan was an illegal anti-democratic contraption that cannot stand. On the other hand, the Governor’s handpicked candidate against democratic tenets and just

Edo guber: Why election cannot hold on Sept. 28 – APGA

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has said he would petition the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on why the governorship election fixed for September 28 must be postponed again.
It said the governorship polls must be organized to accommodate candidates in the 2016 November/December West African Senior School Certificate Examinations in the state.
Governorship candidate of APGA, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, said the September 28 date was not feasible because some students were expected to write Physics practical, Food Nutrition 1 and 2 papers and two other papers on that day.

Ondo guber: No faction in PDP – Jegede

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), has dismissed reports that there are divisions in the party.
He spoke yesterday in Akure, during an interactive session with party supporters, organised by the Sunshine Continuity Network (SCN), saying those parading themselves, as factional PDP members are pretenders.
Jegede insisted that the PDP is one and an indivisible party.
“Let me tell you the fact: all the PDP governors are under the leadership of Makarfi. All PDP senators are for Makarfi, House of Rep members, Makarfi, the Board of Trustees, Makarfi. So, how would they manufacture a PDP without people, without leaders? That is how you will know that they are jesters,” Jegede said.
He urged the people of the state to await a new dawn, as he would not only build on the