Last Imo Rerun Polls in Review

LAST IMO RERUN POLLS IN REVIEW

     The last time I checked, the long awaited rerun polls in Imo State, which were targeted to produce respected individuals to represent Oru-East, Owerri-West and Isiala-Mbano State constituencies in the Imo House of Assembly as well as Imo-North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, successfully held on Saturday 23^rd July 2016 as scheduled by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     Though the conduct of the overall polls was free, fair and credible in spite of failure of some of the Smart Card Readers used during the exercise, likewise Oru-East State Constituency, the results for that of Imo-North Senatorial District alongside Isiala-Mbano State Constituency were declared inconclusive by the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Arinze Agbogu considering that the votes cast in (15) polling units in the entire area were cancelled; and statistics show that the affected booths have a total of about thirteen thousand (13,000) registered voters to its credit.

      Aside Oru-East State Constituency, for the two major contending political parties in Imo-North Senatorial District – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the results for the said inconclusive polls as regards the six existing LGAs in the district read thus, “Okogwe: APC - 9,355, PDP – 4,343; Onimo: APC – 3,630, PDP – 3,850; Ihitte Uboma: APC – 10,171, PDP – 5,184; Obowo: APC – 13,401, PDP – 6,641; Ehime Mbano: APC – 5,795, PDP – 13,048; Isiala Mbano: APC – 6,569, PDP – 7,076; totaling: APC – 48,921, PDP – 40,142”, thereby made the APC’s candidate, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu to lead his PDP’s counterpart or his immediate rival – Chief Athan Achonu with 8,779 votes margin.

      However, it was gathered that only one electoral ward named ‘Osuachara’ in Isiala-Mbano LGA out of the total of sixty-four (64) existing wards in the senatorial district that was actually affected by the “cancellation”. Owing to this outcome, several wailers coupled with aggrieved members and supporters of the then leading party – the APC, lamented that the INEC didn’t get it right by declaring the election “inconclusive”. According to them, “just a ward” ought not to be a tangible reason for declaring an election that successfully took place in the other 63 wards in the district inconclusive.

      People really need to be properly orientated and guided on how this thing is being done constitutionally. In accordance with the Electoral Act, an election is said to be inconclusive when/if the total number of registered voters in the area where election couldn’t take place or was cancelled, as the case may be, supersedes the figure of the margin between the two leading contenders; it has nothing to do with the number of wards, booths or polling units that were affected, as being presumed. In this case, the total number of registered voters in the affected area was 13,000 whilst the figure of the margin between the two leading contenders was 8,779; this apparently signified that the said election truly deserved to be declared inconclusive since the former (13,000) is greater than the latter (8,779).

      It is done that way, because there’s tendency of the second candidate emerging victorious if the remaining or supplementary polls eventually took place as rescheduled by the electoral umpire. The arithmetic is obvious and understandable. As a result of lack of orientation or ignorance, people or the concerned electorate are usually fond of pointing accusing fingers at INEC whenever an election is declared inconclusive. In view of this assertion, there’s a compelling need for holistic awareness cum sensitization among the electorate to be organized by the INEC.

      I have no qualms as regards the reason for the inconclusiveness. My only question is: why was the voting in the polling units in question cancelled? I reliably learnt there was over-voting. If I’m to go by such information, I would ask; what resulted to the so-called over-voting? Even if there was “No voting/election” at the area, what actually prompted it? Does it imply that the security personnel posted to the area didn’t act as expected or were incapacitated? These are pertinent queries that must be attended to for posterity sake.

     To this end, the INEC ought to apply caution subsequently towards ensuring that no area or booth is sidelined while an election is occurring, not just in issues concerning Imo State but Nigeria at large. It’s no doubt disheartening that after all the time spent, the awaited election was still declared inconclusive. If such lapse had to do with logistics issue, the commission shouldn’t leave any stone unturned toward an effective and efficient preparation. In regard to security challenge, the relevant law enforcement agencies ought not to be reminded on how best to handle it.

      Another headache I had with the rerun polls was when I got informed that the INEC returning officer for the Oru-East State Constituency election reportedly claimed that he announced election results under ‘duress’. Probably some guns or weapons were pointed at him, or…? I sincerely couldn’t fathom where such ridiculous claim came from. I personally observed the election in question, and saw how successful everything went. How could an electoral official be placed under duress when there were several law enforcement agents around to protect his life or welfare? Such amusing claim was equally not unlike telling Nigerians that the security personnel posted to the area were lobbied to act otherwise contrary to their statutory functions.

      Notwithstanding, I deeply appreciate the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Nasir Ayilara for ensuring that the supplementary polls took place the following week, precisely on Thursday 28^th July 2016, without further ado. Such step was indeed commendable because the uncertain fate of the affected areas or electorate was seriously telling on them. It’s worth noting that the final total results for the two major contending political parties in the Imo-North Senatorial District – the APC and the PDP, were 56,076 and 43,815 votes respectively, thereby making Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu of the APC to merge victorious with a margin of 12,261 votes. Chief Nkenna Nzeruo of the APC equally emerged as the winner in that of the Oru-East State Constituency alongside his APC counterpart in Isiala-Mbano, Chief Collins Chiji.

      I candidly appreciate all the bodies involved that made the election a success to include the INEC, the police and other security agencies, having done the needful during the polls. I specially commend the electorate for comporting themselves as long as the elections lasted. Unlike before, no iota of violence was recorded across the state and its environs; it’s indeed a way forward and a step in the right direction. We have proven to other states that we are now wise socio-politically, and that it’s no longer business as usual. I encourage us to keep it up and endeavour to maintain the tempo or do more in subsequent times.

      Meanwhile, as much as I plead with the aggrieved parties to trade with caution toward peace sustenance, I equally appeal to the apt quarters to swear in the victors of the concluded polls without hesitation. Undoubtedly, the concerned electorate had already suffered an untold hardship so far, thus further delay might warrant an unspeakable crisis. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador            

On Coalition of South-East and South-South Lawmakers

ON COALITION OF SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH-SOUTH LEGISLATORS

     The last time I checked, the overall members of the Houses of Assembly in both the South-East and South-South geo-political zones of Nigeria could strongly boast of a formidable association among them. Having thought it wise to exercise a single voice, the members of the aforesaid legislative chambers came up with a ‘Coalition of South-East and South-South Legislators’.

     As a matter of fact, the members of the new union ably led by the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly Rt. Hon Acho Ihim premiered their Parliamentary Conference  few weeks ago, precisely on 15^th July 2016, with the theme ‘Alternatives to militancy and the harmonization of South-East/South-South grazing reserve proposals’. During the conference, which was hosted in Imo State by the Imo House of Assembly, the astute lawmakers unanimously opposed the Grazing Reserves Bill presently lying on the floor of the National Assembly (NASS).

     The epochal parliamentary sitting, which was presided over by all the speakers of the Houses of Assembly in the two zones, equally reached other resolutions regarding the ongoing militant attacks in the Niger-Delta region to include, to urge the Federal Government (FG) to reassess and revisit the performance of the Amnesty Programme, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP).

      Furthermore, to urge: the NASS to ensure the accelerated passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the FG to enter into peaceful dialogue with the critical stakeholders in the region as well as review the ownership of Oil Blocks in the country towards giving at least 65% ownership to the Niger-Delta people as against the present situation where the people in question control barely about 10%.

      In his address, Rt. Hon Ihim who doubles as the Vice-President of the African Commonwealth Parliament (ACP), having disclosed how elated he was to be honoured as the leader of the body, categorically stated that the coalition among the legislators was targeted toward bringing dividend of democracy to the entire citizens of the region and Nigeria at large. According to him, the members of the region had something in common, thus needed to operate as one body.

     However, this critique was necessitated by the fact that there are some fundamental and rudimentary factors these lawmakers need to acknowledge if truly they are out for business, but not business as usual. No doubt, any right thinking or sane individual would boldly attest to the fact that these state legislators had succeeded in making a history by coming up with this amalgamation. But it’s pertinent to note that it isn’t all about making history; rather, sustaining it. Most people invariably strive towards making history, forgetting that it is better not to make a history than to make one that wouldn’t stand the test of time.

     What’s the essence of history if your unborn children cum grandchildren wouldn’t live to celebrate it? A good history made, is meant to be discussed by all and sundry many years after the eternal departure of the person(s) who made it. To this end, we’re expected to be more concerned with what becomes the fate of the awaited history rather than what we stand to gain on that very day the history would be made or be recorded in the Guinness Book of Record.

      It was the great Irish Philosopher in the person of Edmund Burke that said ‘Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.’ In his words, Thomas Jefferson equally said ‘I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.’ And on a very succinct note, Plato hinted ‘Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.’ All these, summarily indicate that the beauty of life never lies in making history, but ensuring that the history made lives to withstand the future.

     It’s not anymore news that Nigerian leaders, particularly politicians, are very good and talented in coming up with laudable initiatives or policies, but usually encounter series of crises while implementing them or in the process of their sustenance. For instance, if absolute care isn’t taken, the resolutions made by the lawmakers during their first outing might end up being swept under the carpet. Such tradition, which is not peculiar to the said legislators, has so far caused enormous harm to our polity in its entirety.

     As a people, we are not bound to do something in order to receive thunderous praises from the onlookers; rather, we ought to vigorously strive to bring a positive change that would surely attract unending applauses contrary to the anticipated temporary applause. Thus, it’s about being real and endeavouring to face reality at all times. So, inasmuch as I appreciate these impeccable lawmakers for coming up with this commendable historic coalition, I as well enjoin them to concentrate on the future as long as the coalition lasts.

     I equally appeal to them to extend hands of fellowship to their counterparts in the South-West geo-political zone with a view to boasting of a coalition of southern legislators, which undoubtedly will go a very long way to ensure that the politicians in the region deliberate with one voice, just as it’s the case in the north. Against this backdrop, they ought to borrow a leave from the wives of the governors in the southern region who currently can boast of a formidable association among them.

     At this juncture, I urge our esteemed lawmakers to take into cognizance that everyone, including myself, is earnestly watching to see what their next line of action would entail, thus they shouldn’t let us down in any way. They ought to acknowledge that there’s no time for recess if truly they mean business, not business as usual though. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador  

2016 Int'l Day of Friendship

STRENGTHENING NATIONAL UNITY VIA INT’L DAY OF FRIENDSHIP

      Saturday July 30, the world over is commemorated the 2016 edition of the International Day of Friendship. The resolution concerning the annual International Day of Friendship was adopted unanimously by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in May 2011 in recognition of the fact that friendship can contribute meaningfully to the efforts of the global community towards the promotion of dialogue among solidarity, civilization, mutual understanding as well as reconciliation.

      The resolution mandated the international community to recognize July 30 of every year as International Day of Friendship thereby inviting all the UN Member States, several arms of the UN system, as well as other international and regional bodies coupled with civil societies, to observe the day in accordance with the culture/customs and other appropriate circumstances of their respective local, national and/or regional communities through public awareness-raising activities.

      It’s often said that ‘two good heads are better than one’. It’s also widely noted that ‘a tree does not make a forest’. These and many more similar quotations, which signify the essence of partnership or amalgamation, have been adhered to by millions of personalities and schools of thought across the globe owing to their obvious inevitable role in human existence.

      The aforementioned philosophies are not unconnected to the fact that, no individual or group can do it all alone if efficiency or effectiveness remains his/its watchword. No doubt, this was the reason God ensured that a woman was formed having created a man. Needless to say; the creator Himself understood the unavoidable essence of companionship. This simply implies that everyone requires a friend in whom he/she is well pleased toward arriving at the anticipated success room.

      A friend, in a nutshell, is a person that one likes and knows well. It could also be described as a supporter of a cause or a staunch fan of a certain organization. A true friend is the first person you wish to call whenever you receive good news; he/she is equally the person you wish to share your pains with; he is that person or fellow that would like to accompany you on the most boring errands or trips and make them seem fun; he is that fellow that is invariably willing to tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.   

      In the same vein, friendship is a kind of relationship between two or more people who care about each other. Since friendship has to do with people who truly care about each other, there’s no gain saying that sometimes it requires that people put someone other than themselves first. Indeed, true friendship signifies that some occasions might warrant you sacrificing your happiness for that of others. Hence, life is all about sacrifice, which is usually a product of compassion. What’s the essence of life if you can’t cough up a reasonable time to think about others?    

      Notwithstanding, a friendship is meant to be a symbiotic relationship rather than a parasitic one. Hence, many qualities are required or necessary for a good friendship to hold, including honesty, transparency, trustworthiness, loyalty, tolerance and unconditional acceptance. These, among other factors, have the tendency to yield an unconditional love between the parties involved. For any friendship to be reliable as well as successful or hitch-free, either or both parties, as the case might be, must possess all of the above at all times.

      In Nigeria, for instance, which is an amalgamation of various friendships or relationships, for the union to remain in peace and progress, the leaders must be willing to be transparent and honest to the teeming followers, thus they must always exercise the political will towards leading transparently. The electorate, on their part, must equally reciprocate the gesture by being loyal and submissive. Any union is anchored on reciprocity among its overall members, and Nigeria isn’t an exception. We must take into cognizance that national unity would continue to suffer from epilepsy if trust is nowhere to be found; and there will never be trust if honesty and transparency is missing.

      Happiness ought to be seen as a keyword by the people or groups who constitute a certain friendship or union, irrespective of the circumstance. Of course, we aren’t unaware that human beings can clash very easily, which is why it’s hard for some persons to maintain many friendships at a time or simultaneously. In view of this assertion, members of a particular friendship are expected to uphold absolute honesty at all cost with the sole aim of sustaining the relationship in question.

      Another pertinent factor to acknowledge towards sustaining national unity is unconditional acceptance. The various ethnic groups across the federation must be prepared to accept each other unconditionally since they are bound to be one indivisible body. We found ourselves together, or as one nation, thus we must strive to sustain the oneness regardless of our respective distinct cultures and backgrounds. No doubt, this is the only way we can boast of unconditional love, which is the only factor that can yield the awaited societal uplift. Unalloyed love produces absolute peace and unity that are required for both human and capital developments. The Ministry of Information and Culture under the watch of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in collaboration with various relevant bodies, can help in making the general public comprehend this fact via awareness cum thorough sensitization campaigns.

      During penultimate year’s commemoration of the International Day of Friendship, precisely on 30^th July 2015, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon urged the global community to use the potential of friendship to strengthen common bonds and inspire efforts for peace and sustainable development. The UN boss further stated that “The day is an important opportunity to confront the misunderstanding and distrust that underlie so many of the tensions and conflicts in today’s world.” He went further to say that the event is a reminder that human solidarity is essential to promoting lasting peace and fostering sustainable growth among mankind, therefore enjoined the international communities to cultivate warm ties that would strengthen our common humanity and promote the well-being of the human race.

      Hence, I call on Nigerians both home and abroad to strive towards achieving national unity through the effort of undiluted friendship. It was Lucius Seneca that said “One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.” In her words, Helen Keller stated that “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” Similarly, Hubert Humphrey succinctly disclosed that “The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.” To this end, I appeal to us to receive friendship in our various endeavours since it has been proven beyond doubts to be the pathway to man’s eternal happiness.

     Acknowledging that two good heads are truly better than one, it’s therefore not needful to say that all hands are expected to be on deck toward ensuring that friendship is created as well as sustained at all cost for the sake of national unity and harmony, which definitely would yield the long awaited national development. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador 

The Ongoing Rio Olympics and Nigeria's Fate

THE ONGOING RIO OLYMPICS AND NIGERIA’S FATE

      It’s not anymore news that the longed awaited 2016 Summer Olympic Games graciously kicked off penultimate week, precisely on Friday 5^th August in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South-America as planned, and it is expected to come to an end on Sunday August 21, 2016. It would be recalled that the last edition of the tournament, which was hosted in London, United Kingdom (UK), took place four years ago, in 2012 to be precise; suffice it to say that the widely celebrated global multi-sporting event is a quadrennial.

     It’s worth noting that, as long as the tournament lasts, Nigeria would participate in eight sporting events only, as earlier disclosed by the Minister of Youths and Sports Mr. Solomon Dalung. The games in question include men’s football, basketball, canoeing, table tennis, wrestling, high jump, long jump, as well as track and field events. The minister equally promised that the contingents would be well treated financially and otherwise toward ensuring better participation throughout the tournament.

     It’s no doubt mind-boggling and disheartening that among the total of three-hundred and six (306) games to be played at the tournament, or in a competition that’s expected to yield 161 medals for men, 136 for women and 9 mixed medals, Nigeria the acclaimed ‘giant of Africa’ can only boast of participants in just eight of the available games. Such level of apathy isn’t unconnected to the fact that the nature of preparation employed prior to the outing wasn’t in any way encouraging, or was nothing to write home about.

     In his speech penultimate month, precisely on Wednesday 15^th June 2016, the Nigerian international and Africa’s most decorated table tennis player, Segun Toriola described preparations for the ongoing Olympic Games as the ‘worst ever’ in the Nigeria’s sports history. The 42-year-old Toriola who just made history in Brazil as the first African athlete to feature in seven Olympic Games tournaments, stated that he had never seen such poor preparation since his debut at the 1992 Barcelona Games in Spain.

     The statement, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos State, frowned at the level of lack of interest on the part of the government officials responsible for the said preparation. The aggrieved athlete who unequivocally urged Nigerians not to expect ‘much’ from the participating athletes further lamented that it was more painful and pathetic that nobody was even telling them (the athletes) what the next line of action entailed.

     Aside the various lapses that surrounded the preparation, as at three weeks ago, the Nigerian Olympic team was reportedly still uncertain if it would make it to Brazil for the Olympics. The revelation, which triggered the anger of series of sports commentators cum analysts alongside well-meaning Nigerians, was greeted with enormous criticisms and counter-reactions. Many described the experience as ‘untold’ considering that it occurred when the country’s unity was being threatened; according to them, it was only sports that could adequately unite Nigerians.

     However, amidst the uproar and confusion, barely two weeks to the commencement of the tournament, on Tuesday July 19 precisely, President Mohammadu Buhari ordered the immediate release of funds budgeted for Nigeria’s successful participation in the Rio Olympics, which amounted to #2 billion. The President announced the approval during the official handover of Team Nigeria to the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) at the State House, Abuja. He equally warned that the flight tickets of those who had no business at the event shouldn’t be sponsored by the organizers, towards curtailing excesses.

     It’s on record that the bane of Nigeria’s sports industry, ab initio, has been inadequate or non preparation whenever a competition is awaited, which is often occasioned by administrative error or jamborees. Most times when the officials of the various sport authorities in the country are expected to mean business, they would rather prefer to indulge in frivolous politics thereby ending up creating quagmire within themselves. Though it’s obvious that there’s an element of politics in whatever we do here on earth, it’s imperative to acknowledge that while discussing how to fortify the nation’s sports arena, politics is required to be set aside.

    The last time I checked, four years was good enough for any preparation, and Olympics aren’t exceptional. We can’t be confidently told that if a competent and reliable fund-raising committee was set up by the apt quarters toward the Rio Olympic Games, Nigeria wouldn’t boast of reasonable sum of money needed to cater for the overall preparations. The plight remains inability to comprehend what to do as well as how best and when to implement it. Rather than concentrate on the needful, the men we entrusted our sports to keep dancing Makosa when they are meant to dance Reggae, or vice-versa. Honestly, there’s a compelling need for a rethink.

     The country has every required potential talent and facility towards participating in any Olympic game to include swimming, golf, table and long tennis, gymnastics, boxing, javelin, shot-put; name them. The needed human and natural resources are conspicuously abound; all we need to do is to harness them by using the appropriate technique and mechanism. It’s quite appalling that the inter/intra-school sports competitions, which were the talk of the day, are currently no longer in vogue as a result of apathy, laxity and what have you. Every socio-cultural sporting activity that used to speak volumes has abruptly vanished into thin air.

      Nevertheless, this critique was mainly necessitated by what Nigeria’s fate entails in the ongoing Olympic tournament. Since the deed has already been done, at this critical point, any concerned Nigeria is expected to be solely mindful of the anticipated performance of the Team Nigeria throughout the highly competitive event, instead of laying emphasis on retrogressive issues. Our last outing in London was obviously poor and disastrous, thus any right thinking Nigerian both home and abroad expects to be compensated in Brazil.

     To this end, the participants ought to be sensitized on the need to do more even when they are seemingly worn-out. They should be conscientized to do their very best toward making their fans and Nigeria at large more proud of them in spite of the limited resources or porous preparation. Just as the motto of the tournament - ‘live your passion’ implies, they are expected to vigorously and passionately compete for gold because none of them deserve second best, rather second to none. Their respective coaches ought to let them understand that, even if they have lost interest in Nigeria, they need to strive to make their teeming fans happier because without fans, there wouldn’t be a player/athlete.

     The NOC should equally acknowledge the essence of a formidable fan-club toward recording success in any sport competition. They ought to borrow a leaf from the Nigerian Atlanta ’96 fan-club. Against this backdrop, they should source for more fans in Brazil; they need to discover Nigerians resident in the country with a view to ensuring that the available fan-club is duly boosted.

     Nigeria may have prepared poorly prior to the ongoing tournament, but we ought to note that sometimes success is gotten via passion and luck; hence, despair not Nigerians. However, we must ensure that what transpired this year never repeats itself subsequently. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador