Buhari to address the nation on second term

The Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha of Imo, said President Muhammadu Buhari would soon address the nation on whether he will seek re-election in 2019.

Okorocha stated this when he briefed State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting between the President and the APC governors held on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the president would also address the caucus of the APC on the matter. “We discussed so many issues that affect the nation, our party and Mr President’s ambition to run for 2019 elections. “Anyhow, Mr President in his usual manner has requested that we give him time and that he will address the nation and the caucus of the party very soon. “So we should be full of expectations that Mr President will make officially known to Nigerians his intentions. “But we hope that his response will be in line with what the governors are thinking,’’ he said. According to the governor, it is the desire of the governors that the President seek re-election in view of his tremendous performances in the last two and half years. He said: “We believe that if he continues Nigeria will be better for it.’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified efforts towards ensuring the rights of prison inmates to vote in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria.

The electoral body is making arrangements with the Nigeria Prisons Service (The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified efforts towards ensuring the rights of prison inmates to vote in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/inec-nps-ensure-prison-inmates-right-vote-2019/ ) to ensure that prisoners are allowed to vote in the 2019 general elections. The Secretary of INEC in Kebbi State, Alhaji Bello Magaji Isah made the disclosure during a visit to Controller of Prison in Kebbi State, Mallam Sani Adamu Potiskum in Kebbi.

The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu had last year announced to the delight of Nigerians that his commission was making arrangements with the Nigerian Prisons Service to allow some classes of prisoners to vote in the next general elections scheduled for 2019. During his visit to Prisons Office in Kebbi, the state INEC boss Alhaji Isah said there is a need for effective synergy among critical stakeholders in creating public awareness on inmates voting rights towards ensuring participations of eligible Nigerians to exercise their franchise. Isah said: “I am here to lets you know that the INEC is working on the possibility of creating polling units in Nigerian prisons to allow some categories of inmates to vote. “The essence is to capture as many eligible voters to participate in the election since voters’ education and sensitisation are very essential in this regard. “We also consider the feasibility of inmates in custody and the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and People in Diaspora to Vote in elections.” The state INEC boss also disclosed that the commission is collaborating with other stakeholders to ensure all eligible citizens in Kebbi state exercised their Voting Rights. In his remarks, the Controller of Prisons Kebbi State, Mallam Potiskum said the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed’s had instructed all controllers of Prison throughout the federation to provide maximum supports to INEC an other agencies of government on their statutory mandates. Potiskum said: “We have been instructed by the Controller General, Ja’afaru Ahmed to provide all necessary supports in ensuring that you succeed on your campaign on Inmates’ rights to vote even though they lack rights to be voted. “We are ever ready to assist the commission in conducting secure, free and fair elections and to ensure the rights of inmates in custody are not disenfranchised.”

Sheriff, Makarfi to meet Jonathan over PDP.l

OFFICIAL 1.85 NGN/CFA OFFICIAL 315 USD/NGN MARKET 475 USD/NGN BREAKING: Full cure for HIV-AIDS discovered NEWS › Local news Sheriff, Makarfi to meet Jonathan over PDP Soonest Nathaniel 3 minutes ago 89 – The PDP leaders are seeking a means to get the party back on its feet – Faction leaders Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff have resolved to meet ex-President Jonathan – The leaders are to meet Goodluck Jonathan to sign a peace pact In a bid to resurrect the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from what many have called a political suicide, leaders of the opposition party are set to reach an agreement. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Whatsapp Ali Modu Sheriff (L) and Ahmed Makarfi (R) This Day reports that the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) and the faction led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff have resolved to meet with former President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors elected on its platform to intimate them of the reconciliation plans.

The meeting with the former president and governors is scheduled to take place between Wednesday and Thursday and will be followed by consultative engagements with other key organs of the party including the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the party’s National Caucus. The meeting, which is at the instance of Senators Makarfi and Sheriff, is meant to brief the party’s key stakeholders on their new understanding, to solicit their support and input on the best way to achieve a lasting peace in the party. Discussions on a fresh convention to elect a national leadership for the party will also be on the cards at the meeting. It was learnt that the two party leaders agreed to meet with ex-President Jonathan, in recognition of his position as the leader of the party.

While confirming the latest progress in peace negotiations, the Secretary of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Senator Ben Obi, said issues relating to the formation of a joint peace and reconciliation committee would form part of the discussions at the meeting. Obi, who spoke to newsmen on Monday, October 3, said the caretaker committee believes strongly that the ongoing peace moves would lead to a lasting settlement of the dispute in the party. 

“The measures that we did not take after our defeat at the elections last year, over one year ago, is what we are going through now. Some of the people did not even understand the vision of the founding fathers of the party, that was the problem.

 “How was the party formed? What is the aim and goal of the party? These are the issues that the drivers of the party must understand. 

“So we have reached a stage now whereby I think that we are beginning to have some understanding. Only recently, we were able to reach a point where Senators Makarfi and Sheriff met and decided that they must jointly issue a statement.

 “Now the next stage is to move on in that stead. This week, we will be briefing stakeholders of the party and we will be coming up with members that will constitute a joint reconciliation committee.

 “Don’t forget that you have various peace committees led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson and Prof. Jerry Gana, all set up by the party to help search for peace and to reconcile the aggrieved parties. 

“So by the time we explain the progress being made and how the two leaders agreed to issue a joint statement and other issues, I am sure that we will have a clearer picture of what to do next to further the peace efforts,” he said. 

The two principal actors in the PDP dispute – Makarfi and Sheriff – came close to laying to rest their disagreement when they issued a joint statement in Abuja two weeks ago, saying that they had reached an agreement to set in motion a joint reconciliatory process. They said they had agreed to sheathe their swords and would pursue the cause of lasting peace in the party.