Morocco’s deadliest earthquake in decades has killed over 1,000 people, authorities said Saturday, causing widespread damage and sending terrified residents and tourists scrambling to safety in the middle of the night.

The 6.8-magnitude quake struck a mountainous area 72 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of tourist hotspot Marrakesh at 11:11 pm (2211 GMT) Friday, the US Geological Survey reported.

Strong tremors were also felt in the coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira. 

“I was nearly asleep when I heard the doors and the shutters banging,” said Ghannou Najem, a Casablanca resident in her 80s who was visiting Marrakesh when the quake hit.

“I went outside in a panic. I thought I was going to die alone.”

It is the strongest-ever quake to hit the North African kingdom, and one expert described it as the region’s “biggest in more than 120 years”.

“Where destructive earthquakes are rare, buildings are simply not constructed robustly enough… so many collapse, resulting in high casualties,” said Bill McGuire, professor emeritus at Britain’s University College London.

Updated interior ministry figures on Saturday showed the quake killed at least 1,037 people, the vast majority in Al-Haouz, the epicentre, and Taroudant provinces.

Another 1,204 people were injured, including 721 in a critical condition, the ministry said.

The ministry also recorded deaths in Ouarzazate, Chichaoua, Azilal and Youssoufia provinces, as well as in Marrakesh, Agadir and the Casablanca area.

– ‘Unbearable’ screams –

Faisal Badour, an engineer, said he felt the quake three times in his building in Marrakesh.

“There are families who are still sleeping outside because we were so scared of the force of this earthquake,” he said. “The screaming and crying was unbearable.”

In Moulay Brahim village, in the mountains of Al-Haouz province near the quake’s epicentre, rescuers were searching for survivors in the rubble of collapsed houses, AFP correspondents reported.

On a nearby hill, residents began digging graves for the victims, the correspondents said.

Frenchman Michael Bizet, 43, who owns three traditional riad houses in Marrakesh’s old town, told AFP that he was in bed when the quake struck.

“I thought my bed was going to fly away. I went out into the street half-naked and immediately went to see my riads. It was total chaos, a real catastrophe, madness,” he said.

Footage on social media showed part of a minaret collapsed on Jemaa el-Fna square in the historic city.

An AFP correspondent saw hundreds of people flocking to the square to spend the night for fear of aftershocks, some with blankets while others slept on the ground.

Mimi Theobold, 25, a tourist from England, said she was with friends on a restaurant terrace when the tables began shaking and plates went flying.

Houda Outassaf, a local resident, said she was “still in shock” after feeling the earth shake beneath her feet — and losing relatives.

“I have at least 10 members of my family who died… I can hardly believe it, as I was with them no more than two days ago,” she said.

The interior ministry said authorities have “mobilised all the necessary resources to intervene and help the affected areas”.

The regional blood transfusion centre in Marrakesh called on residents to donate blood for those injured.

The army has set up a field hospital in Moulay Brahim and deployed “significant human and logistical resources” to support search and rescue efforts in Al-Haouz, state news agency MAP said.

– Significant damage likely –

“We heard screams at the time of the tremor,” a resident of Essaouira, 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of Marrakesh, told AFP. “Pieces of facades have fallen.” 

The USGS PAGER system, which provides preliminary assessments on the impact of earthquakes, issued a “red alert” for economic losses, saying extensive damage is probable.

Foreign leaders expressed their condolences and many offered assistance, including Israel with which Morocco normalised relations in 2020.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement he was “deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation”.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed “deep grief for the victims” and hope that “the Moroccan government and people will be able to overcome the impact of this disaster”, according to Beijing’s state media.

Pope Francis expressed “his profound solidarity with those who are touched in the flesh and heart by this tragedy”. 

The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Algeria, where the Algerian Civil Defence said it had not caused any damage or casualties.

In 2004, at least 628 people were killed and 926 injured when a quake hit Al Hoceima in northeastern Morocco, and in 1960 a magnitude 6.7 quake in Agadir killed more than 12,000.

The 7.3-magnitude El Asnam earthquake in Algeria killed 2,500 people and left at least 300,000 homeless in 1980.

The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb(UK), concerned about the teething problems of relocating the international airlines to the new Terminal which was necessitated by the recent fire outbreak at the Old International Terminal in Lagos, has set up a task force to resolve these challenges within the shortest possible period. The members of the task force are:

I. Engineer Hassan Musa, (Retired PS and ex-Dir of Dept. of Air Transport Management (Team Leader)
II. Adebayo Oladipo General Manager Aerodrome NCAA
III. Mr. Collins Mukoro (SA to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development)
IV. Mrs. Uyoyou Edhekpo (SA to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development)
V. Mr. Henry Agbebire (SA to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development).

2. Recall that during the Honourable Minister’s inspection of the Lagos Airport on Thursday 31st August 2023, he had given a deadline of October, 1 2023 for the relocation. However, the management of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had to fast track the implementation of this directive in response to the recent fire outbreak which raised safety concerns and affected passengers’ movements.

3. We urge all passengers and other stakeholders to be patient and bear with us as the inconvenience caused will soon be resolved. Your understanding plays a vital role in making this transition smoother for everyone involved.

4. The primary objective of this task force is threefold:
I. Resolve Passenger Concerns: The task force will work diligently towards resolving all concerns raised by passengers regarding congestion, discomfort, and related issues stemming from terminal relocation. We are committed to ensuring that every passenger's voice is heard and addressed promptly.
II. Minimize Discomfort: Our focus dwells on minimizing any form of discomfort during this transition period. Efforts will be made in streamlining processes at both terminals while closely monitoring operations 24/7. Measures such as enhanced signage, dedicated support staff, improved communication channels will be implemented proactively.
III. Effective Public Communication: We pledge transparency throughout this process by providing regular updates on progress made in addressing concerns arising from airline relocations. FAAN aims at improving public relations strategies through various channels including online platforms and customer service helplines so that you stay informed about developments firsthand.
5. In conclusion, the Honourable Minister extends its deepest regrets once again over the inconvenience caused and assures all travelers that we are fully committed to resolving these concerns promptly. We pledge our commitment to passenger comfort, safety, and overall satisfaction during this transitional period.
6. Thank you for your understanding and continued support

Oluseyi Odutayo
Head Press and Public Affairs
Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development

The crisis rocking the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party has taken a new twist following a move by the faction of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to amend the party’s constitution and logo.

The decision to amend the constitution was confirmed during an exclusive interview with the National Auditor of NNPP, Ladipo Johnson.

The development is coming three days after the faction of the party under the leadership of Major Agbo expelled the presidential candidate of NNPP for alleged anti-party activities and misappropriation of party campaign funds.

Kwankwaso’s expulsion was announced in a statement released on Tuesday by the NNPP’s factional National Publicity Secretary, Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq.

Abdulrasaq affirmed that the decision to expel Kwankwaso with immediate effect was taken after he failed to appear before the disciplinary panel to defend himself over the allegations levelled against him.

The expulsion of the former Kano governor caused disaffection within the party and saw chieftains from opposition camps trading blame.

A few days after the drama, Saturday PUNCH findings revealed that there was a subtle move by the Kwankwaso camp to amend the logo and constitution allegedly to weaken the grip of the NNPP founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam.

Although the development was confirmed by Johnson who was the chairman of the disciplinary committee that expelled some factional members of the party a few weeks ago, the national auditor, however, denied the move was a response to the emergence of a faction within the NNPP.

“No, it has nothing to do with any faction. It was something we already discussed at the NEC. Unlike them (Agbo faction), we are serious people. But we haven’t changed the logo yet. We are planning to throw it out there for our members to compete and come up with ideas,” he said.

Reacting, acting National Chairman of the faction, Major Agbo, told our correspondent that they were aware of the subtle move which they believed was directed at removing the immunity of the founder.

He said, “Obviously, the proposed amendment to the constitution and changing of logo they are talking about was deliberate. That was because they discovered suddenly that the man they are after (the founder) has immunity by the provision of that constitution. That’s why they are in a hurry to amend it.”

Former media aide to the immediate past Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande has clarified that his recent comments are personal and not on behalf of his former boss.

Taking to his account on X (formerly known as Twitter), Akande said it is important for members of the public to know the views being expressed after May 29, 2023 are his personal views.

Naija News understands the journalist said this on Saturday after reactions that greeted his views on the outcome of the 2023 presidential election petition tribunal.

The former media aide to Osinbajo had faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), affirming the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as winner of the 2023 election.

While answering questions on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme on Friday, Akande said the failure of INEC to electronically transmit the results of the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections has broken the trust of Nigerians.

According to him, INEC failed to upload polling unit results on its Result Viewing Portal despite the promise made to Nigerians at home and abroad.

Reacting to the backlashes that followed his views, Akande clarified that his comments were his personal views and not those of Prof. Osinbajo.

He wrote: “I am aware some people think my comments since after May 29 were on behalf of my former boss, VP Osinbajo who I worked with 2015-2023 as media aide. It is now important to say I now ONLY speak for myself & those views I have shared & will share going forward are ENTIRELY mine.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has successfully advocated for Nigerians to be incorporated into India’s e-visa program, simplifying the visa application process for Nigerians.

Mr. Tuggar, who accompanied President Bola Tinubu to the G20 summit in India, revealed this information via his X account on Friday evening.

The foreign affairs minister explained that his discussions with the Indian Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, resulted in a positive outcome, granting Nigerians the convenience of applying for an Indian visa online. This move aims to streamline and reduce the bureaucratic hurdles in the visa application process for Nigerians.

“I discussed with the Indian External Affairs Minister, the need for an easier visa process for Nigerians visiting India, and he explained they currently don’t issue visas on arrival but will extend their online e-Visa application to Nigerians,” the foreign affairs minister posted on his X account Friday.

The G-20 summit is scheduled to take place from September 9 to 10 at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre, situated in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.

Nigerian leader, Mr. Tinubu, was invited to participate in the summit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prominent international figures such as U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian President Justin Trudeau, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan have all arrived in India for the summit.

The Ballon d’Or is an annual award given to the best men’s and women’s football player in the world. It is considered to be the most prestigious individual award in football.

Only a few Nigerian players have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or since its inception in 1956.

Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi, and Austin Jay-Jay Okocha were the first Nigerian players to be nominated for the awards in 1995.

Nwankwo Kanu was nominated twice, in 1996 and 1999, when he was playing for Arsenal and Inter Milan respectively.

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Victor Ikpeba was nominated in 1997, when he was playing for Monaco. Sunday Oliseh was nominated in 1998, when he was playing for Juventus.

The Nigerian players who have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or are considered to be some of the best footballers to have ever come out of Africa.

They have all played at the highest level and have won numerous trophies. They are an inspiration to young footballers all over Africa.

In 2023, Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala made history by becoming the first Nigerian players to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or in the same year.

Osimhen was nominated for his impressive performances for Napoli, where he scored 26 goals in Serie A, while Oshoala was nominated for her performances for Barcelona, where she won the Women’s Champions League and the Spanish league.

The nominations of Osimhen and Oshoala are a testament to the rising standard of football in Nigeria. They are also a sign that African players are now being recognized for their talent on the world stage.

Full list of Nigerian players who have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or:

As of September 2023, there are 8 Nigerian football players who have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or. They are:

Finidi George (1995)
Daniel Amokachi (1995)
Austin Jay-Jay Okocha (1995)
Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999)
Victor Ikpeba (1997)
Sunday Oliseh (1998)
Asisat Oshoala (2022, 2023)
Victor Osimhen (2023)

There seems to be a transition. A metamorphosis from the quotidian loan-driven articulations to investment-tailored pursuits and commitments. Nigeria has over successive administrations hypostasised borrowing in its bucket of foreign economic interests. These borrowings have put a cosmic strain on government revenue. Nigeria’s external debt stands at over N49.85 trillion, and with about 73 percent of its earnings used for debt servicing.

In June, the Debt Management Office (DMO) described Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio of 73.5 percent as ‘’unsustainable and a threat’’. The DMO said: “The country’s debt stock remains sustainable under these criteria, space has been reduced when compared to Nigeria’s self-imposed debt limit of 40 percent set in the medium-term debt management strategy (MTDS), 2020-2023. On the other hand, the debt service-to-revenue ratio at 73.5 percent in 2023 exceeds the recommended threshold of 50 percent due to low revenue, which means that there is a need to significantly increase government revenue. Under the alternative scenario, the total public debt-to-GDP ratio at 45.4 percent in 2023 exceeds Nigeria’s self-imposed debt limit of 40 percent. “

In May, KPMG warned that Nigeria might spend over 100 percent of its revenue on debt servicing. Clearly, a shift from this status quo has not only become necessary but also critical for the survival of the nation.

Nigeria has a revenue challenge, but with unchecked borrowing, this problem becomes compounded. So, the government has to come up with innovative measures of driving revenue as well as enchanting investment while weaning itself off prodigious borrowing.

In August, President Bola Tinubu said his administration was committed to breaking the cycle of overreliance on borrowing for public spending which results in the burden of debt servicing. The direness and exigency of the time demands this forward-thinking, innovation, and discipline. Borrowing has its edge, but when unmitigated and without financial discipline, it becomes an encumbrance to growth.  

Nigeria has played a good hand at the G20 summit in India. The country went fishing for investments, partnerships, — and not for loans. This is a diametrical shift from the status quo. As it is today, it is much more prudent and decent to go fishing for opportunities for the country than to go borrowing.

According to correspondence from the presidency, Indian investors made financial pledges amounting to $14 billion during the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and Conference in New Delhi, India. These investors are said to include — Indorama Petrochemical Limited which pledged a new investment of $8 billion in the expansion of its fertiliser production and petrochemical facility in Eleme, Rivers State, and Jindal Steel and Power Limited, one of India’s largest private steel producers, which committed to investing $3 billion in Nigeria, following discussions with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Also, President of SkipperSeil Limited, Jitender Sachdeva was said to have announced that, following President Tinubu’s personal intervention, he was investing $1.6 billion in the establishment of 20 100MW power generation plants across the states of northern Nigeria, amounting to 2,000MW of new power within the next four years.

Bharti Enterprises, a major first-generation corporation in India with interests in telecom, space communications, digital solutions, insurance, processed foods, real estate, and hospitality, was said to have expressed its commitment to invest an additional $700 million in Nigeria — with work set to begin immediately.

The President was said to have approved finalisation on a new $1 billion agreement to bring the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to 40% self-sufficiency in local manufacturing and production of defence equipment in-country by 2027 through a comprehensive new partnership with the Managing Arm of the Military-Industrial Complex of the Indian Government.

A third MoU on Infrastructure Development was said to have been signed between the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria Limited (InfraCorp) and Invest India, the National Investment Promotion, and Facilitation Agency of India.

Going by the reports from India, it has been a fruitful outing for Nigeria — if not the most rewarding from a single event. The leadership has shown capacity and facility for private capital attraction, and it is essential that this shift to innovativeness is sustained.

However, it is important that the business environment is made conducive for investors. It is one thing to attract private capital, and it is another to retain it. Nigeria is currently ranked 131 out of 190 economies on ease of doing business. The business environment, today, is not very friendly. From tremulous infrastructure, poor power supply, asphyxiating taxes, insecurity, bureaucracy, corruption, to an undisciplined civil service – all these contribute to making the business environment precarious.

Already, the government is beginning to address the constraints to business as regards taxes; I believe it will look into other factors.

To go fishing is a more intelligent approach than to go borrowing unchecked.

Efe and Dayo dated for three years and we all thought they were headed for the altar. The introduction ceremony had already taken place and we were already picking out colours of the day, at least in our heads. Then out of the blue, things fell apart. Dayo dumped her in the meanest way. He took her money, her pride and her love and jetted out to Canada with another woman. After three years of romance and scented candles. Efe tried to be strong, putting a fake smile on, like everything was going on well. We all thought she was strong and doing fine until tragedy came calling. She wrapped her Toyota Camry round an electric pole and almost died.

For four hours, we sat outside the theatre in the hospital, holding hands and hoping she would be wheeled out alive. 

Our prayers were answered, Efe survived but with injuries inside, deep emotional cuts. In three months she was back on her feet, with a physical limp but she was totally crippled inside. She’s healing gradually and has even gone on a few dates.

Are you like Efe, trying to recover from a broken heart and deep emotional cuts? Are you healing the right way or just pretending to be healing? Have you rushed into another relationship just to kill loneliness?

For most people who are hurting and feeling lonely, blaming everything and everybody including fate is what they do. But wait, while you’re trying to sort out who really hurt who and why, you need to face your demons before diving into another relationship. When you are desperately lonely is not the time to make serious commitments. Wait, feel, heal.

Here are a few antidotes to get you through a lonely season.

Feel.

Don’t pretend that you are not hurting. She made a fool of you. He broke your heart. You feel like putting one in-between his eyes. All the signs were there that she was up to no good but you were a ‘happy mumu’. You loved him too much to let go and so he bullied and bashed you for three long years or more and then dumped you like rotten potatoes, so you’ve every right to be sad and disappointed in yourself. I mean, how could you have let a man do that to you? Own up, you messed up big time. He was an SOB and you curse the day you met him. It’s all good to let it all hang out. You gotta feel it to heal it. Now you know. So. Go on, feel it and start healing. Bawl, cry, pound your pillows, bring it on. Face your fears no matter the time of the day, even if  the demons of loneliness hit at 1 a.m. Wait patiently, let the tears flow, heal from the inside out. That way you will not rush into another relationship out of desperation, trying to kill loneliness from outside in.

Move.

Physical activities help the mind. Lift the lid and release what’s inside.  Let it out. If you bottle it all in, you will explode. The good thing is you will know when you are nearing boiling point because you will feel all the hurt welling up to the surface. That is when to do something before you crack wide open. Running, hiking, swimming, dancing classes—anything. Play your favourite artiste and dance. I like Joha and Lonely at the top by Asake, Ladies and Gentlemen by Reekado Banks, Ojuelegba by Wizkid and everything by Yinka Ayefele when I need a quick fix. Just keep moving!!

Read.

This one is easy. No book is too small or too big as long as it helps you escape into another world because when you come back from that world, you’d feel better. You may opt for inspirational books, the “if I can do it, you can, too” stories. I love fiction, racy stories told in fluid short sentences. Try them out.

Write.

Get all those dark feelings bottled up inside on paper. It lightens the burden you carry. There are people who write themselves love letters but I prefer you document where you slipped up and how you’d like your next relationship to feel like. Whatever you are and have in there, pour it out. Write letters to God, to yourself. Anything to prevent the dark thoughts from poisoning your inside.

Who knows, maybe you’ve got the next bestseller in there somewhere!

Collage.

Start collecting stuff you love and you have strewn all over the house. Pull pictures out of fashion magazines, well made up faces you can try to replicate when you need to fill the time space. You will be surprised what you will discover about yourself and what lies right beneath the surface of your mind.

Talk.

You have friends and siblings. Talk to them in the wee hours of the morning. There are always folks like that who are devoted to your well-being and understand what you are passing through. When you get really lonely sometimes talking would take the edge off. Just hearing someone’s voice is comforting and will get you moving.

Play.

Be playful. Don’t wear your inner turmoil like designer cufflinks. I dance alone in my bedroom in front of the mirror and laugh at myself. Do whatever brings healthy fun and has positive consequences. Take salsa lessons. Learn how to play chess, scrabble or get into golf or tennis. You do not need too much time on your hands when you are trying to heal.

Retail therapy also helps. Go and do some shopping in the open air market or push your grocery shopping till when you feel the walls of loneliness are closing in again.

Get a pet.

I love dogs, not the ferocious baby-eating ones. I like them pretty and furry, the kind I can put in a basket and go on a drive with. I used to have one I occasionally went to the office with, she would sit on my sofa, pink ribbon on her head, watch television while I worked. Yours may be a cat, pigeon, parrot or even ducks. It’s therapeutic watching them. Cats and dogs also cuddle up to you because they are sensitive like that. Feeding them, washing and blow-drying them and getting them to the vet help.

Laugh.

Find something that makes you laugh. It takes your mind away from why he left you or why you had to leave him. It helps you refocus your lenses on life. The doctor once told me to create one hour daily for something apart from work. That was when I began to look in the direction of comedy. Just imagine watching a movie that’ll make you laugh for one hour daily. Ah ah, trust me, it puts you in a better mood. It gets the laughter hormones running. Everybody needs that genuine, regular indulgence in gigantic belly laughter.

And it is inexpensive entertainment. Your favourite comedians are now on You tube, Netflix. See? It’s easy. You can listen to them in the shower, while fixing your makeup or even in traffic. You can also get comedy movies. Build a library and, girl, they are way less expensive than a one-night stand or bad relationship choice just because you are lonely.

Pray.

Didn’t the pastor not tell you the prayer is a master key? Oh yes, never underestimate the power of prayer. It works wonders. Ask your Imam. There is God up there who has seen your struggle, your pain and knows that you need a man in your life. He knows because he created you and that need. He created us male and female because he knows we will need each other. So, go on, talk to him. He never tires of listening. Pour out your heart and get divinely connected. Everyone who has passed through this lonely path knows that talking to the one who formed you works better than talking to anyone else because nobody understands your loneliness like him. Yours sincerely recommends it.

Now, wind up the pity party and start living again. How can let one bad relationship define you and the rest of your life?

Nottingham Forest and Super Eagles forward, Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed why he doesn’t celebrate after scoring goals.

He said doesn’t celebrate his goals because he already knew they would come.

“To be honest, it’s not intentional. But I was having a conversation with a brother of mine and he actually made me understand why I don’t celebrate scoring goals.

“He is someone that really knows me; the secret part of me. I think the truth is, it’s just a script you know.

“Sometimes when you understand this is meant to happen, and it happens. It’s just more of a thing you’ve seen happening, so it’s just like what is supposed to be.

“Even when people don’t see it happening, you’ve already known. You’ve seen it ahead. So, when it happens, that calmness is just there,” he told Fans Tribe in an interview.

Awoniyi is currently with the Super Eagles in Uyo ahead of Nigeria’s last AFCON qualifier match against Sao Tome & Principe on Sunday.

[DailyPost]

Nigerians have called for a restructuring of the Judiciary, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after scrutinizing the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, PEPT, delivered on Wednesday. Elder statesmen, leaders, retired judges, lawyers, and activists, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, this weekend, faulted the judgment, saying that the operators, not necessarily our laws, were the problem of democracy in the country.

They expressed dissatisfaction that the PEPT did not dispense justice on the glaring issues that arose from the last presidential elections tabled before it for determination.

Restructure Nigeria — Emiaso, ex-customary court president

A former President of the Delta State Area Customary Court, Miakpo Emiaso, said: “I have always taken the position that there is nothing wrong with our laws apart from the lopsided federal system that this country operates. Unless there is restructuring of the political system such that each part of the nation is sufficiently autonomous to pursue its own goals according to its needs, this country is going nowhere.

There is a fundamental flaw in the organization of this country, and unless we remove the flaw by restructuring to something similar to what we had in the First Republic, this country is going nowhere. In terms of the electoral system, the problem we need to solve is the people who operate the system. The politicians and electoral umpire must change their attitude and they cannot change their attitude because what propels them is the faulty federal system that we are operating in Nigeria. We have established it without argument that we cannot function together the way we are trying to force ourselves together. I am not advocating the dismemberment of Nigeria; Nigeria must remain Nigeria, but we must give the federating units greater autonomy. There is too much power concentrated at the federal and there is too much power concentrated on the person who becomes President. This country will not move like this.

There is no problem with our electoral system; it is the dramatis personae that we need to talk to, to change their ways because the faulty federal system that we operate foists that attitude on them.

INEC breached electoral laws — Nwoko, SAN

Former Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Uwem Edimo Nwoko, said, “My position built on my experience, over the years, both as a lawyer and participant in the electoral process would be that human beings are the architects of the unfortunate democratic experience we are having.

Why do I say so? The laws we have today, particularly the Electoral Act 2022, can engineer a perfect electoral process, but the problems lie with those executing and implementing the law. For example, globally, the management of the 2023 General Elections, particularly the presidential election, was highly flawed. If you read through the reports of all the observers, both local and international, you see that every observer with integrity and dispassionate evaluation came up with the conclusion that INEC did not follow the Electoral Act, especially in the deployment and use of the BVAS machines.

They did not follow the provision concerning real-time transmission of results from the Polling Unit to the INEC server. People complained that the INEC server suddenly shut down during the presidential election. The irony is that the same machines that transmitted the National Assembly results could not transmit the presidential results at the same time. The INEC Chairman was announcing the results of the Presidential election when collation was still going on. Since he said the machines did not transmit the results, how did he get the figures he was declaring? Until today, INEC has not explained to Nigerians why that happened.

Unless we get people of integrity to supervise our electoral process, we will make no progress, so the problem is not with our laws.”

Reform judiciary — Onuesoke, ex- guber aspirant

Former Delta State governorship aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, said: “The electoral laws are very okay. The major problem we have is the judiciary. What happened on Wednesday was a rape of Nigeria voters’ rights. Nothing is wrong with the Electoral Act.

The judiciary is responsible, for example, there is a constitutional clause that you need to have 25 percent of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. It is in the laws but they just came out and started reading if Abuja people are better than the people in other states That contradicts the law. We should blame the judiciary, not INEC. The way forward is to reorganize the judiciary.”

Unfashionable to ignore BVAS, IREV – Okah, lawyer 

A legal practitioner in Bayelsa State, Jonah Okah, asserted, “The judgment on the presidential election has exposed certain salient issues in the Electoral Act. The much-celebrated reform provided in the 2022 Electoral Act has teeth, but cannot bite in the face of the judgment that the Tribunal delivered.

“We need to make specific provisions to address the issues of electronic transfer of results, the legal validity of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and IReV, INEC Result Viewing Portal, IReV, as well as curtailing the latitude conferred on the electoral empire, as highlighted by the issues arising from the judgment. It is anachronistic in this Information and Communication Technology, ICT, age when electronic transmission cannot be used as a legal process in the conduct of election as stated in the judgment.” 

We‘re diminishing — Evison, Community leader

National President of the Sagbama Federated Community, Ebi Evinson, said: “From the judgment, we seem to retrogress our electoral system. Introducing BVAS and the electronic transmission of results was a remarkable improvement in our elections. But now that the judgment says that collation and electronic transmission of results by INEC is optional, then the gains we made on our electoral system would have eroded and future elections shall be terrible in terms of credibility.

“We will slide back to our old ways of manual collation with its attendant challenges. I think that the only way we can make progress in our elections and democracy is to ensure that we conclude election cases before swearing in so that there will be minimal influence. The confidence with which President Bola Tinubu jetted out of the country, on the eve of his crucial election case that was due for judgment, when the conference still had a few days ahead to begin, simply shows the effective application of the Nigerian factor in the entire scenario.” 

Hope lost – Clarkson, attorney

A legal practitioner and former spokesperson of the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnicity Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, Amaebi Clarkson, said: “We are in the ICT age, and expectantly, our electoral process would have been driven by technology, particularly with the introduction of card reader and BVAS. Unfortunately, the 2023 general election has clearly shown that we are not ripe for digitalized elections possibly because of our value placement as a people.

“I am of the firm opinion that we go back to our indigenous Option A4 introduced by Prof Nwosu in the conduct of our elections.”

We need a fearless judiciary, competent INEC – Odi, community leader

A retired Bayelsa senior civil servant and community leader, Chris Odi, suggested, “Strengthening INEC to be able to fund its operations, and equip workforce to function optimally with near-perfect logistics to deliver credible elections, and working with a fair and fearless judiciary to prosecute culprits of electoral offenses. Also, the electoral umpire must work hard to ensure there are no cases of voter suppression (disenfranchisement). The government must adequately equip the police to check electoral violence before, during, and after elections.

“There should be proper orientation and reorientation by the relevant government agency (NOA), and media outlets on the need to shun ethnic and religious politics for Nigeria to have the benefit of the best candidates. They should revisit the problem of voter apathy through voter education. For instance, the 2019 election recorded 34.75 percent voter turnout, while in 2019, only a meager 28.6 million voters cast their votes out of 82 million eligible voters. The above suggestions will go a long way in improving Nigeria’s electoral system.”

Electronic voting, solution to Nigeria’selectoral turbulence — Chima Nnaji

On his part, Lagos-based legal practitioner and Rights activist, Chief Chima Nnaji, strongly advocated the evolution of electronic voting as a permanent solution to Nigeria’s hydra-headed electoral system.

He regretted that those who benefit from the current flawed system are reluctant to embrace innovations that could help eliminate fraud in the system. According to him, “Electronic voting is the way to go but the drag by those in power is causing the delay. See how the last ditch effort in the 2022 Electoral Act was messed up at the tribunal on Wednesday. It was consigned to the waste bin, and it looks as if they dumped all the money budgeted for those gadgets in the lagoon. So, the first is to show sincerity of purpose by leadership that must look beyond today. They must look beyond their narrow interest and be statemanly in their perception of realities such that even if they are being selfish, such selfish interest should as far as possible, be situated within the national interest. And the only way to do that is to commit to electronic voting system that will de-personalise human interventions in such a drastic manner that it is done at the whims and caprice of whoever is the National Chairman of INEC. It should be made in a way that it becomes absolutely difficult to game the system. There might be glitches which have to be battled and upgraded as in the banks. Although the electronic system has not prevented fraud, it has reduced it to the barest minimum.

“We need something that is de-personalised, we de- personalise to improve effectiveness. The process has been dragging because of human interest. If you eliminate human interest, the court will be removed from the electoral process. The court is not supposed to be the final arbiter in the electoral process. That’s not the intendment of the philosophers who propounded democracy. We were taught in those days that the ballot boxes were the most painless killers. If you are under- performing as a politician, the people go to the ballot box and kill you silently, and you go home and lick your wounds.

“I’m sure those who philosophised democracy will be turning in their graves the way democracy is murdered in this country. At this stage, we expect that judges should be more circumspect. When you are 60 years and above, you don’t need to be corrupt “.

Comprehensive verdict – Edokpolo, UPAN facilitator

However, the National Facilitator, United Patriots Assembly of Nigeria, UPAN, Ambassador Ayamekhue Edokpolo, told Saturday Vanguard in Edo State, “First, the pronouncement of the judges has further broadened the huge confidence reposed on the judiciary in Nigeria. The reason is that the judgment was comprehensive, and every point was lucid, deliberately explained in detail that an illiterate can assimilate or comprehend the issues. We can strongly improve our electoral system when the judiciary stands its ground to ensure that lawyers do not bring frivolous cases to tribunals hearing such cases.

Another way we can improve our electoral system is what I call the agility of the electorate. If the electorate insists on good governance and capacity and rejects bribes or favors from the candidates or the political parties, they will invest fundamental sacrifices for the strengthening of our electoral system because the greatest threat to our electoral system is monetization. It is highly monetized, which is why those who have the capacity to perform well feel intimidated to step forward. For instance, you will need private jets to run a presidential election in Nigeria. If you want to run for a governorship election, you are going to need bulletproof vehicles. Therefore, if the followers deliberately refuse inducement and are firm on capacity, it will greatly improve our electoral system. We must sensitize institutions like INEC, police, and army that play good roles in the election to maintain greater impartiality and remove their personal interests from the electoral system. 

Electoral laws shouldn’t be incongruous — Benjamin, IYC 

National spokesperson, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Bedford Benjamin, stated: “The country’s electoral laws must be definite and devoid of contradictions and contradicting sections of the law, ranging from electronic transmission of results, and management of pieces of evidence of electoral malpractices.” 

[Vanguard]