Politics
Allow Peaceful Protest On May 29 – Prof. Udenta
Prof. Udenta Udenta, the Founding National Secretary of Alliance for Democracy and Distinguished Fellow at the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, issued a warning to security agencies on Thursday.
He cautioned them against obstructing any kind of protest during the upcoming presidential inauguration ceremony.
Expressing his disapproval of certain statements made by the heads of security organizations, Prof. Udenta emphasized that denying disgruntled Nigerians the right to protest on May 29th would contradict the principles of the constitution and encroach upon the fundamental human rights of citizens.
Prof. Udenta Udenta, a renowned African Literature scholar, expressed his views in an interview with journalists during the public presentation of the book titled “Media and Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy: Threats, Constraints and Resilience,”
The book, co-authored by Paul Obi, a former Political Correspondent of THISDAY Newspapers, Taye Obateru, an Associate Professor of Mass Communication at the University of Jos, and Dr. Sam Amadi, the Convener of ASSPT, received a review from Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, a communication consultant and Deputy Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies at Baze University in Abuja.
During the book’s launch, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, served as the chief launcher.
Prof. Udenta expressed his concern about the statements made by security chiefs regarding the upcoming inauguration ceremony, describing them as efforts to stifle democratic discourse.
According to a report by BIZTELLERS, the Federal government had announced plans to enhance security measures at Eagle Square, the designated venue for the presidential inauguration on May 29, as well as in the surrounding areas.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, who was represented by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, issued a warning to journalists regarding the dissemination of false information and hate speeches.
The IGP assured the public of the police force’s preparedness for the upcoming inauguration ceremony.
The IGP further stressed the importance of journalists verifying the accuracy of their stories before publishing them while adhering to ethical standards in journalism while reporting on the event.
The Governor expressed his gratitude to the organizers, authors, and editors of the book, acknowledging their well-researched scholarly effort. He emphasized that the book directly and practically contributes to the development of media and democracy.
However, the Governor lamented the ongoing debate in Nigeria concerning the role of the media in the country’s democratic transformation and consolidation.
He highlighted the importance of the media in empowering civic spaces and strengthening democratic governance, as well as the challenges they face in undertaking such responsibilities.
Obi, one of the authors, emphasized the necessity of allowing the press to operate in accordance with constitutional provisions.
He stated “What we need to do is to ensure that those rights are not breached or limited and it should work within our constitutional framework. Any aspect that prevents media from performing constitutional rights, we should raised alarm.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made significant progress in uploading the results of the Edo State governorship election to its INEC Result Viewing (IREV) platform.
As of today, over 4,173 out of the 4,519 polling units across the state have successfully uploaded their results, which accounts for 92.34% of the total. This initiative allows voters, party agents, and the general public to monitor election outcomes in real time, promoting transparency in the electoral process.
READ MORE: #EdoDecides2024: Ighodalo, Wife Cast Votes
The INEC IREV platform was introduced to enhance the credibility of elections and improve public trust by making results available online for verification.
In Edo State, this system is being closely watched due to the high stakes of the governorship race, which has been marked by strong competition between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Despite this impressive milestone, some results are still pending due to challenges in remote areas, technical issues, and disruptions at some polling units.
INEC has assured the public that efforts are underway to ensure that all polling unit results are uploaded as soon as possible, urging patience and confidence in the process.
Afrobeats singer, David Adeleke, widely known as Davido, has labeled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the most dangerous institution in Nigeria.
He made this claim in a series of posts on his X account on Saturday during the ongoing gubernatorial election in Edo State.
“The most dangerous institution in Nigeria @inecnigeria,” he wrote.
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The Afrobeat singer urged Edo residents to be ready to follow their votes and the result from the polling units up until the state collation centre.
According to him, INEC will not transmit results electronically even after making promises.
“We already know that @inecnigeria will not transmit results electronically so everyone should be ready to follow the vote/result from the polling unit up until the state collation centre.
“Winning is one thing. Being declared a winner is another thing! …. From 7pm make una go Dey mount collation center !! #EdoDecide2024.”
Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, has expressed his interest in the ongoing Edo State governorship election.
BIZTELLERS reports that residents turned out in large numbers on Saturday to vote in the off-cycle gubernatorial election in Edo State.
Davido has been vocal on X, calling out the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged irregularities in the election process.
His concern raised questions as to why he is so interested in the election, considering that he is not from Edo State.
Addressing the questions via his X handle, Davido explained that his late mother, Imade Veronica Adeleke was from Edo State.
He further explained that aside from his late mom being an Edo State indigene, he should be concerned as a Nigerian.
He recalled calling out INEC during the Osun State gubernatorial election when his uncle, the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, was contesting.
The singer wrote, “My mom is from Edo for those wondering why I’m interested in the election … but we as Nigerians should be concerned sha .. @inecnigeria shame on you I know how many times I had to come in here and rant before they got it right in Osun ! It’s really bad. God help us.”
Davido previously endorsed the PDP candidate, Asuen Ighodalo, for the Edo gubernatorial election through his Instagram account.
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