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02/15/19
'I'd rather have my son than a hero'
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Thirty years after Soviet troops pulled out of Afghanistan, the BBC went to meet the mother of a soldier killed in the disastrous war.
Thirty years after Soviet troops pulled out of Afghanistan, the BBC went to meet the mother of a soldier killed in the disastrous war.
Vitiligo: Skin condition bought Kenyan friends closer together
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Kenyan friends Julie Asuju and Wangui Njee talk about their experiences of living with Vitiligo.
Kenyan friends Julie Asuju and Wangui Njee talk about their experiences of living with Vitiligo.
IN FULL: INEC Chairman’s Heartbreaking Election Postponement Speech
After much anticipation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections, scheduled for Saturday.
Announcing the postponement at some minutes, before 3am, Professor Mahmood Yakubu read a statement to Nigerians, surrounded by national commissioners.
READ THE FULL SPEECH
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met on Friday, 15th February 2019 and reviewed its preparations for the 2019 General Election scheduled for Saturday, 16th February 2019 and Saturday, 2nd March 2019.
Following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan and the determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections, the Commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no longer feasible.
Consequently, the Commission has decided to reschedule the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to Saturday, 23rd February 2019. Furthermore, the Governorship, State House of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections is rescheduled to Saturday 9th March 2019. This will afford the Commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of our elections.
This was a difficult decision for the Commission to take, but necessary for the successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of democracy.
The Commission will meet key stakeholders to update them on this development at 2p.m. on Saturday, 16th February 2019 at the Abuja International Conference Centre.
Elections News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2N9eR9E
IN FULL: INEC Chairman’s Heartbreaking Election Postponement Speech
After much anticipation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections, scheduled for Saturday.
Announcing the postponement at some minutes, before 3am, Professor Mahmood Yakubu read a statement to Nigerians, surrounded by national commissioners.
READ THE FULL SPEECH
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met on Friday, 15th February 2019 and reviewed its preparations for the 2019 General Election scheduled for Saturday, 16th February 2019 and Saturday, 2nd March 2019.
Following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan and the determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections, the Commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no longer feasible.
Consequently, the Commission has decided to reschedule the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to Saturday, 23rd February 2019. Furthermore, the Governorship, State House of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections is rescheduled to Saturday 9th March 2019. This will afford the Commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of our elections.
This was a difficult decision for the Commission to take, but necessary for the successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of democracy.
The Commission will meet key stakeholders to update them on this development at 2p.m. on Saturday, 16th February 2019 at the Abuja International Conference Centre.
Elections News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2N9eR9E
BREAKING: Finally, INEC Confirms Postponement Of Presidential Election To Feb 23
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally confirmed the postponement of the 2019 presidential election previous scheduled to hold today.
SaharaReporters had reported the postponement late on Friday evening, although it was still unofficial at the time.
Briefing newsmen beginning from 2:43am, Professor Mahmud Yakubu said "proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible".
Consequently, he said the presidential and National Assembly elections had been moved to February 23, 2019.
The governorship and state assembly elections were also moved by one week to March 9, 2019.
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BREAKING: Finally, INEC Confirms Postponement Of Presidential Election To Feb 23
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally confirmed the postponement of the 2019 presidential election previous scheduled to hold today.
SaharaReporters had reported the postponement late on Friday evening, although it was still unofficial at the time.
Briefing newsmen beginning from 2:43am, Professor Mahmud Yakubu said "proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible".
Consequently, he said the presidential and National Assembly elections had been moved to February 23, 2019.
The governorship and state assembly elections were also moved by one week to March 9, 2019.
#NigeriaDecides Elections Politics Breaking News News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2T1izrn
BREAKING: 'We've Taken A Decision', Says INEC Chairman's Spokesman On Presidential Election
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission has taken a decision on the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled to hold on Saturday.
He spoke with journalists keeping vigil at the commission’s headquarters, after a series of meetings that held late Friday night into Saturday morning.
According to Oyekanmi, a decision had been taken on the elections and it would be communicated to Nigerians soon.
He said Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, and 12 national commissioners attended the meeting.
When prodded to confirm if the elections had been postponed or not, he declined to comment. All he said was: "A decision has been taken, but you'd have to hear from the horse's mouth."
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BREAKING: 'We've Taken A Decision', Says INEC Chairman's Spokesman On Presidential Election
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission has taken a decision on the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled to hold on Saturday.
He spoke with journalists keeping vigil at the commission’s headquarters, after a series of meetings that held late Friday night into Saturday morning.
According to Oyekanmi, a decision had been taken on the elections and it would be communicated to Nigerians soon.
He said Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, and 12 national commissioners attended the meeting.
When prodded to confirm if the elections had been postponed or not, he declined to comment. All he said was: "A decision has been taken, but you'd have to hear from the horse's mouth."
#NigeriaDecides Elections Politics Breaking News News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2jQKO9r
Paul Manafort should be jailed for 19-24 years - Mueller
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US special counsel says Paul Manafort should be jailed for 19-24 years after breaching a plea deal.
US special counsel says Paul Manafort should be jailed for 19-24 years after breaching a plea deal.
Emiliano Sala's funeral to take place in hometown in Argentina
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A service for the Cardiff City player, who died in a plane crash last month, will be held in Argentina.
A service for the Cardiff City player, who died in a plane crash last month, will be held in Argentina.
BREAKING: INEC Postpones Presidential Election
The 2019 presidential election has been postponed, SaharaReporters can confirm.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet officially announced the decision, but SaharaReporters understands it will be done in the coming minutes.
The announcement will also include the new election date.
#NigeriaDecides Elections Politics News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2X5HSYo
BREAKING: INEC Postpones Presidential Election
The 2019 presidential election has been postponed, SaharaReporters can confirm.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet officially announced the decision, but SaharaReporters understands it will be done in the coming minutes.
The announcement will also include the new election date.
#NigeriaDecides Elections Politics News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2X5HSYo
Your Vote Is Your Birthright, Genevieve Nnaji Tells Nigerians
Genevieve Nnaji, popular Nigerian actress, has called on Nigerians not to sell their votes as the country prepares to elect a new set of leaders.
The Nollywood actress made the call on her Twitter handle, @genevieveNnaji1, on Friday, urging Nigerians to exercise their civic duty.
She tweeted: “You are in control once every 4 years. Your vote is your birthright. Remember, you are not too small to make a difference.”
She accompanied the message with a photo quote that read: “If they are willing to pay for it, then it must be worth a lot. Don’t sell.”
Elections News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2S5V1g6
Your Vote Is Your Birthright, Genevieve Nnaji Tells Nigerians
Genevieve Nnaji, popular Nigerian actress, has called on Nigerians not to sell their votes as the country prepares to elect a new set of leaders.
The Nollywood actress made the call on her Twitter handle, @genevieveNnaji1, on Friday, urging Nigerians to exercise their civic duty.
She tweeted: “You are in control once every 4 years. Your vote is your birthright. Remember, you are not too small to make a difference.”
She accompanied the message with a photo quote that read: “If they are willing to pay for it, then it must be worth a lot. Don’t sell.”
Elections News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2S5V1g6
DEVELOPING: Elections To Proceed Or Not? INEC Holds Emergency Meeting!
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently holding an emergency meeting with security operatives, election observers and other stakeholders over the presidential election slated for Saturday.
SaharaReporters understands the meeting was convened to address the myriads of challenges noticeable so far in the final hours before the election, and the extent to which they can affect the integrity of the election.
As already reported by SaharaReporters in a live blog on the buildup to the election, there are already glaring loopholes that possibly may not be filled tomorrow.
As of 4pm at the INEC office in Sokoto central, INEC ad hoc staff had not yet been posted to their various polling units. They are stranded and waiting to be given necessary materials.
"We have been waiting patiently since morning but we don't know what's going on," Malam Musa, one of the stranded staff member said.
Due to transportation difficulties, in Kano, some ad hoc staff had to enter car booths to move themselves from the INEC office to their detsinations.
In Yola, capital of Adamawa State, most of the names shortlisted as ad hoc staff were replaced at the last minute, particularly in Metropolitan Local Government in Yola North. "Most of the people who were originally shortlisted just woke up on Thursday morning to discover that their names had been removed and replaced with names, majority of which were Muslims," a source had told SaharaReporters.
There was a similar complaint in Borno, with this even leading to a protest by more than 300 youth corps members.
Also in Adamawa, there were hevay complaints. "As of midnight on Thursday, both sensitive and non-sensitive materials delivered to Adamawa State were inadequate," an INEC source had told SaharaReporters. "You may wish to call the Resident Electoral Commissioner for confirmation. Please ask him to give you figures categorically. I'm telling you in all sincerity, ballot papers as brought to Adamawa are not complete. By the way, the situation is the same, virtually in all the states. You can find out."
In addition, there are similar complaints in Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Niger, Oyo, Edo and Rivers states.
#NigeriaDecides Elections Breaking News News AddThis : Featured Image :
Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2VbsCrI
DEVELOPING: Elections To Proceed Or Not? INEC Holds Emergency Meeting!
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently holding an emergency meeting with security operatives, election observers and other stakeholders over the presidential election slated for Saturday.
SaharaReporters understands the meeting was convened to address the myriads of challenges noticeable so far in the final hours before the election, and the extent to which they can affect the integrity of the election.
As already reported by SaharaReporters in a live blog on the buildup to the election, there are already glaring loopholes that possibly may not be filled tomorrow.
As of 4pm at the INEC office in Sokoto central, INEC ad hoc staff had not yet been posted to their various polling units. They are stranded and waiting to be given necessary materials.
"We have been waiting patiently since morning but we don't know what's going on," Malam Musa, one of the stranded staff member said.
Due to transportation difficulties, in Kano, some ad hoc staff had to enter car booths to move themselves from the INEC office to their detsinations.
In Yola, capital of Adamawa State, most of the names shortlisted as ad hoc staff were replaced at the last minute, particularly in Metropolitan Local Government in Yola North. "Most of the people who were originally shortlisted just woke up on Thursday morning to discover that their names had been removed and replaced with names, majority of which were Muslims," a source had told SaharaReporters.
There was a similar complaint in Borno, with this even leading to a protest by more than 300 youth corps members.
Also in Adamawa, there were hevay complaints. "As of midnight on Thursday, both sensitive and non-sensitive materials delivered to Adamawa State were inadequate," an INEC source had told SaharaReporters. "You may wish to call the Resident Electoral Commissioner for confirmation. Please ask him to give you figures categorically. I'm telling you in all sincerity, ballot papers as brought to Adamawa are not complete. By the way, the situation is the same, virtually in all the states. You can find out."
In addition, there are similar complaints in Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Niger, Oyo, Edo and Rivers states.
#NigeriaDecides Elections Breaking News News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2VbsCrI
JUST IN: 15 Political Thugs Arrested In Kwara
The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says 15 thugs working for different politicians in the state have been arrested in the build-up to the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Okasanmi Ajayi, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara State Police Command, made the disclosure during an interview with SaharaReporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Friday.
Ajayi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the thugs were nabbed at different locations in flashpoint areas of the state, noting that they would soon be charged to court.
He, however, refused to mention the names of the thugs, but said they are "well known names working for various politicians in Kwara State".
According to Ajayi, the Kwara State Police Command has been able to identify the "flash points" mostly in Ilorin, adding that officers of the intelligence units had been deployed to man the area in order to prevent violence on Saturday.
"We have flash points and the command has been able to fully identify them and our officers have already been deployed there.
"You would agree with me that there is no way a city like this will not have flash points, but the Police have make security available in these areas. So, the Police Commissioner in the state has ordered water-tight security in this area, and the hoodlums and bad boys in all these areas have been arrested.
“Prior to today, we have been making a lot of arrests, but I can tell you that we have arrested nothing less than 15 identified and confirmed hoodlums and political thugs that would be charge to court.”
He noted that the Police in the state was seriously working in collaboration with other sister security agencies in the state to ensure that the Saturday polls were free and fair.
Okansamni also disclosed that over 4,000 officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Kwara State Command have been deployed to work with other sister security agencies in the elections.
In order to curb violence during the polls, the Kwara Police spokesman added that the stakeholders in the electoral process had been warned to avoid all forms of trouble during and after the polls.
"We have promised all the political parties level-playing ground on Saturday, and we also expect them and all their supporters to maintain decorum," he said.
CRIME Elections Police News AddThis : Featured Image :
Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2S5wpEk
JUST IN: 15 Political Thugs Arrested In Kwara
The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says 15 thugs working for different politicians in the state have been arrested in the build-up to the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Okasanmi Ajayi, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara State Police Command, made the disclosure during an interview with SaharaReporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Friday.
Ajayi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the thugs were nabbed at different locations in flashpoint areas of the state, noting that they would soon be charged to court.
He, however, refused to mention the names of the thugs, but said they are "well known names working for various politicians in Kwara State".
According to Ajayi, the Kwara State Police Command has been able to identify the "flash points" mostly in Ilorin, adding that officers of the intelligence units had been deployed to man the area in order to prevent violence on Saturday.
"We have flash points and the command has been able to fully identify them and our officers have already been deployed there.
"You would agree with me that there is no way a city like this will not have flash points, but the Police have make security available in these areas. So, the Police Commissioner in the state has ordered water-tight security in this area, and the hoodlums and bad boys in all these areas have been arrested.
“Prior to today, we have been making a lot of arrests, but I can tell you that we have arrested nothing less than 15 identified and confirmed hoodlums and political thugs that would be charge to court.”
He noted that the Police in the state was seriously working in collaboration with other sister security agencies in the state to ensure that the Saturday polls were free and fair.
Okansamni also disclosed that over 4,000 officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Kwara State Command have been deployed to work with other sister security agencies in the elections.
In order to curb violence during the polls, the Kwara Police spokesman added that the stakeholders in the electoral process had been warned to avoid all forms of trouble during and after the polls.
"We have promised all the political parties level-playing ground on Saturday, and we also expect them and all their supporters to maintain decorum," he said.
CRIME Elections Police News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2S5wpEk
BREAKING: Two People Caught with Four AK-47 Rifles Set Ablaze In Zamfara
Two suspected arms smugglers have been burnt alive by irate youth in Gusau, capital city of Zamfara State.
The incident happened at about 4pm on Friday, along Unguwar Dallatu road, close to the New Central Market in Gusau.
Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that young men around the market discovered that there were four AK47 in a red golf car and immediately pounced on the occupants.
Isah Khamees, an eyewitness who spoke with SaharaReporters, said when the guns were discovered, the people around started shouting, which attracted more people.
One of the eyewitnesses, a Zamfara-based journalist, said: “They had started beating the people before the Civil Defence operatives came. They burnt the car, driver and one other person, while the remaining two are with the Civil Defence.
Another eyewitness said the Police did not come close to the scene. Instead, they stayed afar and watched.
Mohammedu Shebu, the Public Relations Officer of Zamfara State Command, did not respond to calls put through to him.
Apart from the banditry in the state, Zamfara has been brewing with intense political tension over the exclusion of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) contesting for elective positions in the state.
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Beyond The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea By Kunle Wizeman Ajayi
So many pundits are building their predictions of tomorrow's elections on a political trap that the ruling class have been hoping to set forth as the prevailing idea: Nigeria, like 2015, is caught between the devil and the blue sea!
This is seemingly right but deeply wrong. I employed the word "deeply" to set a lifeline for the real truth that many have decided to look away from, owing to pessimism and the absence of political courage.
The Saturday elections is never a sure bet for the ruling class even in their most trusted zones. The two big parties have been able to muscle the prevailing idea, neglecting the basic factors that have sprung up in the processes to this elections. I will do three things shortly with this piece.
The primal is to show that the "supposed prevailing idea" may not be prevailing as expected. Pre-elections polls have shown very unstable results that have thrown pure confusions to the spines of the ruling elite. Nigerians, for the first time, are openly against voting the two main parties-PDP and APC. Many new parties have sprung up and are littering the whole populace. Though only a very few of these parties are not surrogates, the masses are excited about them. While these parties, except Omoyele Sowore's AAC, do not have national spread; they have areas where they mutter some solid supports. Also, this piece will show that beneath the public perception that both APC and PDP are birds of the a feather, is the mass rejection of both thieving parties which will likely show at the elections tomorrow. This will then lead to the perspective that expressly shows that, contrary to what our rulers want us to believe, millions of new and youthful voters are determined to rock the boat and shock the ruling class with protest votes.
A PREVAILING IDEA OF GREED AND POWER
International capital is very interested in the Nigerian elections for obvious reasons. The world is in crises and revolts and electoral activism is ravaging the bases of mass exploitation, poverty and hardship that the system represents. France is haunted by the combined forces of the Yellow Vests and the Working class strikes. This is an improvement on the conditions of the Los Indignados movement that rocked Spain. Left Roots and other revolutionary socialist groups are greatly influencing the politics of the Democratic party more than ever. This has shown in the Bernie Sanders movement and the emergence of socialists in the last elections into Congress. The rise of the British Labour Party and its influences on the consequent fall of the Republican Party that has been crawling in power as the Theresa May government is in shambles.
Venezuela and Brazil are also going through very serious electoral crises despite the victory of Nicolas Maduro again and the emergence of the right wing populist Bolsonaro.
Africa is also being rocked with electoral revolution as is being witnessed in Zimbabwe, Uganda and Nigeria.
So, the old order is shaken to its roots as the globe has been pregnant enough with a radical new order. The elections tomorrow, I believe, will go in that more momentum. While the press has been so unfair to the other presidential candidates, they were all forced to air the alternative views at the last minutes. A good instance is the debate organized by NEDG and BON. That debate failed to include the only ideological alternative views of the Omoyele Sowore's African Action Congress (AAC). The organizers were arrogant after successfully holding the Vice-presidential debate last December. This aroused the anger of mass of youths and students who protested both physically and on the social Media. By the time the presidential debate was to hold, many other debates sprang up and the two ruling parties could not face the other candidates, especially Sowore, on the podium. The Kadira Ahmed/NTA "The Candidates" four-week Town Hall meetings exposed the ruling class candidates. Buhari and Osinbajo of the APC were beaten to their own lies and misarguments. It also helped to expose the roguery business dealings of Atiku and Obi of PDP two weeks later. But between those exposes, Sowore and Rufai of the AAC super impressed the masses. They showed another alternative and present a bundle of hopes to the masses in their concise manifesto called SPICER HEAT.
Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) has also been cleared as a refined version of the APC and PDP.
TAKE IT BACK: AN INTERLUDE OF REVOLUTIONARY DISRUPTIONS
As I write, a mass of youths are receiving Omoyele Sowore of the AAC in his Ondo South, they show bountifully that another Nigeria is very possible!
The #TakeItBack movement has for the past one year, establishing urgent structural and radical disruptions in the streets, campuses, towns and cities. We have painstakingly crisscrossed the nooks and corners of the whole country, bringing hope to the hopeless and creating real and new ideas of building another world. For the discerning, people's welfarism is on the front burner again. The APC in power is being forced to rush on abandoned projects, sharing crumbs as Trader Moni and such others. Railways, though very archaic, are rushingly laid to try to impress the masses.
The Take It Back movement has successfully shown as a political hurricane beyond the ballots. This has put the ruling class into a very tight corner. An idea for the millions is now a sceptre haunting the neo-liberal capitalist ideas wholly for the millionaires.
Sowore and the AAC are at a big advantage tomorrow. This is the first time mass of youths and students are going to the polls. 45 million youths which 22 million students are gotomorrow. The ruling class parties are really afraid of this. Also, the AAC is massively organized through the Social Media thereby demystifying the half truths that you must be very rich to build a mass party or contest. The party is being funded by the masses and they get transparent responses of how money comes into the accounts every night when Sowore sits "on the couch".
IN LIEU OF CONCLUSION; AWAITING A SATURDAY OF PEOPLE'S VICTORY
As I write, the Kiribo youths are going agog, shouting the ribs out to take it back. My pen is getting hotter and redder. My tiny fingers cannot type faster. But a force of hope is rallying my heart heartily. There grand falsehood that another Nigeria, nay the globe, is not possible is falling into crumbles.
Youths, students, and working people are advised to silently punish our oppressors tomorrow. We must vote the alternative that we have all laboured for. Sowore and the AAC are just catalysts. They represent the hope we have all dreamt. While Gani Fawehinmi and the National Conscience Party (NCP) started the processes in 2003, 16 years after, the fruit of action is very ripe now. There is no nascent democracy to lie with again. Students will never neglect free and quality education for the current fraud going on. This is the same way they will never be happy to vote between the devil and the blue sea.
I must conclude by wishing our comrade Sowore a Happy Birthday in advance. He will be 48 tomorrow. And we the working people will give him a handsome gift with our votes tomorrow.
While APC and PDP are rolling out billions they have stolen from our common sweats, just to dash us some crumbs and buy our votes, it is important that we use tomorrow to reject their one-day money for a lasting joy. The difference between the umbrella and the broom is the difference between the armed robber and 419. Let's cross our ten fingers to shame them on February 16th.
To hell with the devil and the blue sea, Sowore/AAC is here! No going back!!
Opinion AddThis : Original Author : Kunle Wizeman Ajayi Disable advertisements :http://bit.ly/2G9megJ
There May Be Low Turnout Of Youth Voters For Elections, Says Study
Ahead of the 2019 elections slated for February 16 and March 2, a study has predicted low turnout of youth voters.
The study entitled: ‘Role of Youth-led Organisations in Peaceful Elections and Political Participation of Young People’ was conducted as part of the UNESCO Youth Civic Engagement Initiative.
The study was implemented in Lagos State by One African Child Foundation for Learning, in Oyo and Osun states by the Building Nations Initiative (BNI) and in Kwara and Ekiti states by the Women and Youth Development Foundation (WOYODEV).
According to the study, a total number of 166 youth-led organisations actively involved in promoting political participation and peaceful coordination of elections were identified by respondents. Among these organisations identified by respondents include: Junior Chambers International (JCI), AISEC, All Nigeria United Nations Students’ Association (ANUNSA), YALI Network, Youth Aid Development Foundation, among others.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says young people constitute the majority of registered voters, and are major determinants of 2019 election winners, and according to the analysis, there has been a progressive decline in the level of political participation among young people.
The study, however, was able to deduce that while majority of the respondents (71.1 per cent) had participated in one civic education/political-based seminar/event from one youth organisation or the other, the sensitisation from such programmes still remains to translate to full actions with respect to variables of political participation measured.
The study also reveals that while over 80 per cent of the respondents hold the perception of whether their votes will count or not, only about 68 per cent of respondents are currently reported to have a Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and about 50 per cent had previously voted in an election.
It further added that 31.2 per cent of the respondents, who do not possess voter cards, were unable to participate in the voter registration exercise owing to time constraints and busy schedules as career professionals and students. Technical challenges on the part of INEC staff, disorderliness, long queues, and distance to PVC registration centres were also identified as reasons for not participating in the voters’ registration exercise.
On the question of foreseeing peaceful elections, a greater proportion of respondents in the study hold positive perceptions, while a lower percentage held negative perceptions.
This is a pointer to the fact that while perceptions on political participation may change and become more favourable, there may be need to provide very significant cues to action for corresponding behaviour that will result in active political participation of young people.
The revelation of the study thus calls out to youth-led organisations already working around sensitisations for a peaceful election and political participation to intensify their efforts in promoting peace, as the mischievous act of these seemingly few respondents, who still hold a favourable disposition towards election violence, could be far reaching in causing political instability and prevention of peaceful elections.
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Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2swxmLB
There May Be Low Turnout Of Youth Voters For Elections, Says Study
Ahead of the 2019 elections slated for February 16 and March 2, a study has predicted low turnout of youth voters.
The study entitled: ‘Role of Youth-led Organisations in Peaceful Elections and Political Participation of Young People’ was conducted as part of the UNESCO Youth Civic Engagement Initiative.
The study was implemented in Lagos State by One African Child Foundation for Learning, in Oyo and Osun states by the Building Nations Initiative (BNI) and in Kwara and Ekiti states by the Women and Youth Development Foundation (WOYODEV).
According to the study, a total number of 166 youth-led organisations actively involved in promoting political participation and peaceful coordination of elections were identified by respondents. Among these organisations identified by respondents include: Junior Chambers International (JCI), AISEC, All Nigeria United Nations Students’ Association (ANUNSA), YALI Network, Youth Aid Development Foundation, among others.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says young people constitute the majority of registered voters, and are major determinants of 2019 election winners, and according to the analysis, there has been a progressive decline in the level of political participation among young people.
The study, however, was able to deduce that while majority of the respondents (71.1 per cent) had participated in one civic education/political-based seminar/event from one youth organisation or the other, the sensitisation from such programmes still remains to translate to full actions with respect to variables of political participation measured.
The study also reveals that while over 80 per cent of the respondents hold the perception of whether their votes will count or not, only about 68 per cent of respondents are currently reported to have a Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and about 50 per cent had previously voted in an election.
It further added that 31.2 per cent of the respondents, who do not possess voter cards, were unable to participate in the voter registration exercise owing to time constraints and busy schedules as career professionals and students. Technical challenges on the part of INEC staff, disorderliness, long queues, and distance to PVC registration centres were also identified as reasons for not participating in the voters’ registration exercise.
On the question of foreseeing peaceful elections, a greater proportion of respondents in the study hold positive perceptions, while a lower percentage held negative perceptions.
This is a pointer to the fact that while perceptions on political participation may change and become more favourable, there may be need to provide very significant cues to action for corresponding behaviour that will result in active political participation of young people.
The revelation of the study thus calls out to youth-led organisations already working around sensitisations for a peaceful election and political participation to intensify their efforts in promoting peace, as the mischievous act of these seemingly few respondents, who still hold a favourable disposition towards election violence, could be far reaching in causing political instability and prevention of peaceful elections.
Elections News AddThis : Featured Image : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : http://bit.ly/2swxmLB
Protests In Borno Over Sudden Replacement of NYSC Ad Hoc Staff By 'Political Supporters'
More than 300 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) protested in Maiduguri on Friday over the replacement of their names as ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday.
They protested in front of the Old Maiduguri Police Station in Jere Local Government Area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
According to the NYSC members, their names came out on the first list, but on getting to their various centres, the names have been changed to another set of names.
A staff member of the Borno chapter of NYSC alleged that some INEC staff connived with politicians replace the names of corps member with those of party faithful.
"Let me tell you; our state coordinator has informed the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mohammed Ibrahim, about this, but he promised that nobody can replace corps members, because they are automatically qualified to work," the NYSC official told SaharaReporters.
"Hundreds of them have called to tell us about how INEC has replaced their names with strange people presumed to be political supporters. This is really sad. They have undergone training and now their names have been replaced."
However, Lawan Turawa, the state NYSC Coordinator, appealed to the irate corps members to be calm and promised to resolve the issue. He assured the NYSC members that he would personally take the names to the state REC for reconsideration.
They have demanded an explanation from INEC on why their names were replaced, and urged the INEC Chairman to punish the errant staff.
The corps members have vowed not to leave the place unless their names are restored because they were shortlisted earlier.
#NigeriaDecides Elections News AddThis : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements :http://bit.ly/2SgRkti
Protests In Borno Over Sudden Replacement of NYSC Ad Hoc Staff By 'Political Supporters'
More than 300 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) protested in Maiduguri on Friday over the replacement of their names as ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday.
They protested in front of the Old Maiduguri Police Station in Jere Local Government Area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
According to the NYSC members, their names came out on the first list, but on getting to their various centres, the names have been changed to another set of names.
A staff member of the Borno chapter of NYSC alleged that some INEC staff connived with politicians replace the names of corps member with those of party faithful.
"Let me tell you; our state coordinator has informed the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mohammed Ibrahim, about this, but he promised that nobody can replace corps members, because they are automatically qualified to work," the NYSC official told SaharaReporters.
"Hundreds of them have called to tell us about how INEC has replaced their names with strange people presumed to be political supporters. This is really sad. They have undergone training and now their names have been replaced."
However, Lawan Turawa, the state NYSC Coordinator, appealed to the irate corps members to be calm and promised to resolve the issue. He assured the NYSC members that he would personally take the names to the state REC for reconsideration.
They have demanded an explanation from INEC on why their names were replaced, and urged the INEC Chairman to punish the errant staff.
The corps members have vowed not to leave the place unless their names are restored because they were shortlisted earlier.
#NigeriaDecides Elections News AddThis : Original Author : SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements :http://bit.ly/2SgRkti
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