All posts by Nsukka

Don attributes UNN-SUG free, fair election to biometric voting

Biometric

By Hilary Akalugwu

Nsukka (Enugu State), Feb. 25, 2020 (NAN) Prof. Edwin Omeje, the Dean,

Department of Students Affairs, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), has recommended the use of

biometric voting for all forms of elections in the country, to ensure fair and free polls.

He spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka, while commenting on the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election,that used biometric voting system.

According to him, all the candidates accepted the election results because of the transparency.

Omeje said that on the election day,

accreditation and voting  were done with computers  manned by staff from ICT centre of the university at Nnamdi Azikiwe Library.

” Students who voted, signed -in with their registration number, thumb print, vote online and signed out after voting.

” While some  agents of candidates contesting for the election watched  the voting process at the  Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, other agents of the candidates were at the ICT centre office where the election situation room is situated,  watching in a big TV screen  as votes for every candidate  trickle in,” he said.

According to the dean, immediately the biometric voting was over, the printer in the situation room printed the results of the election with the scores of every candidate and agents of candidates signed the results.

“The agents signed willingly because they knew the election was credible, free, fair and transparent.

“Candidates who lost, congratulated and embraced those who won because they knew the exercise was credible and transparent, “he said

The dean commended Prof. Charles Igwe, the Vice-Chancellor of the UNN for approving  the use of biometric voting system that  laid to rest numerous challenges associated with manual voting during previous SUG elections.

“I commend the present administration in UNN as this is the first time biometric voting system was used in any tertiary institution in the country.

“UNN as the first indigenous university, will continue to set the pace that others will follow,’’he said.

In the election, Stephen Ani,  emerged SUG President,  Florence Aroh, Vice-President and Malachi Nwachukwu, General Secretary.

Ani, of Department  of Political Science, who spoke,  said he would be happy if all tertiary institutions in the country would adopt biometric voting in SUG elections so that election would be credible, free, fair and violence-free.

“I recommend this biometric voting to all tertiary institutions as well as Nigeria for the 2023 general elections,”he said.

Azubuike Onyeka of Department  of Computer Education,  an SUG presidential candidate who lost in the Feb. 13 SUG election, commended the biometric voting system  which he described as very credible and  transparent.

“I contested in that election and lost,  I am not  complaining or rejecting the election result because I knew the voting process was  transparent, free and fair,”  he said (NAN)

HOA/CCN/OU

========

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Obike Ukoh

===

Election
By Hilary Akalugwu
Nsukka (Enugu State) Feb. 20, 2020 (NAN)  Mr Joseph Ugwuoke, Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nsukka Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, has urged Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to ensure that Feb. 29 local government poll is credible.

Ugwuoke made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka on Thursday.

He said that ENSIEC should allow the will of the electorate to prevail during that election by conducting an election that would be described by all as free and fair.

“The commission should ensure the votes of the people of Enugu State count in that election.

“I urge ENSIEC to give every political party an equal level playing ground during the election and resists any attempt by any politician to use their staff to commit electoral fraud.

“The state electoral umpire should ensure that the staff and ad-hoc staff exhibit high level of transparency and honesty during the exercise so that only candidates that have mandates of the electorate will emerge victorious,” he said.

Ugwoke said that Mr Sunday Ugwuoke, a lawyer, is the Chairmanship candidate of APC in Nsukka LGA as well as 19 councillorship candidates from the area.

“Nsukka LGA has twenty wards and it is only in Eha-Ndiagu ward that the party has no councillorship candidate.

“The party has confidence in its candidates that are contesting the election and optimistic they will emerge victorious at the poll,” he said.

The APC chieftain noted that the party would flag off its campaign for the election tomorrow (Friday) at Nsukka APC party secretariat.

Ugwoke said that the ceremony would be attended by many party supporters from the 20 wards as well as officials from the zone and state party secretariat.

“After the flag off, we will go from ward to ward to canvass and solicit votes from residents of Nsukka LGA.

“I am assuring Nsukka residents that if APC candidates are elected on Feb. 29, the party will ensure it takes Nsukka LGA to the next level,” he said. (NAN)
HOA/FF/AJA
==========
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Adeleye Ajayi

Poll

By Hilary Akalugwu

Nsukka (Enugu State), Feb. 18, 2020 (NAN) Mr Godfirst Ezeugwu, Speaker of Youths Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) Nsukka Local Government chapter says the assembly is sensitising members to ensure a violent-free council poll in Enugu State on Feb. 29.

Ezeugwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka on Tuesday that during YAN meetings, members were advised to conduct themselves in orderly manner before, during and after the local government election.

“Members are advised to avoid actions and utterances that will create tension or cause violence during the Feb. 29, Local Government poll in the state.

“We are also mobilising and encouraging our members to come out en masse to vote for chairmanship and chancellorship candidates of their choice.

“Members are also advised, not to allow any politician to use them  as political thugs to create violence or commit any electoral fraud,’’ he said.

He urged Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), security agencies and political parties to ensure that the council poll was credible, free and fair.

“YAN is a non-political organisation with its members cut across all political parties. Our belief is that best candidates that have the mandate of the electorates should emerge victorious in every election,’’ he said.

The YAN speaker, applauded the performance of Transition Committee Chairman of Nsukka LGA, Mrs Chinwe Ugwu, whom he said had impacted positively to residents within a short time she assumed office.

He said that Ugwu, who was appointed the transition chairman by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Dec. 16, 2019 has graded over 22 rural roads in the area and empowered some youths.

“The Chairman has given special attention to welfare of council workers, Nsukka LG secretariat has been for many decades without canteen but Ugwu within two months in office has built a canteen for workers.

“Ugwu, on Feb. 14, being Valentine Day celebrated with inmates of Nsukka Correctional Centre and this gesture endeared her to the people,’’ he said.

Ezeugwu urged the Chairman not to relent in her commitment to moving Nsukka LG forward  as youths in the area were solidly behind her. (NAN)

HOA/COO/MNA
=========

Edited by Cecilia Odey/Maureen Atuonwu

I don’t subscribe to removal of security votes- Prof. Okolie

Security

By Hilary Akalugwu

Nsukka (Enugu State)  Feb. 17, 2020 (NAN) Prof. Aloysius Okolie, former Head, Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), says irrespective of the controversy surrounding security votes, he will not subscribe to its stoppage.

Okolie, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka on Monday, that though some governors misused it, its removal would increase security challenges in the country.

“Security votes help governors to handle some security situations in their states before they gets out of hand.

“As the chief security officer in their various states, on daily basis they receive security reports from law enforcement agencies and some of these reports if not acted upon immediately may escalate to dangerous dimensions.

“It’s from their security votes, they use in tackling these security challenges thereby nipping such security threats in the bud,” he said.

On the issue that security votes are unconstitutional and not captured in annual budgets, he noted that even in developed countries, not everything is enshrined in the constitution.

“Is not everything that will be in the constitution, that’s why some approved traditions and conventions are part of country’s constitution, “he said.

The don said that, what Nigerians should preoccupied themselves with, should be on how to elect qualified and patriotic  leaders, who would govern the people  with the fear of God as well as make judicious use of security votes given to them.

Dr Arron Agbo, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, UNN, said he was not against security votes, but that they should be accounted for.

“I am of the view that this money should be accounted for.

”  If a governor was given N100,000 as security vote for February, at the end of the month he should  give account how the money was used.

“This idea of giving security votes to governors every month  and by next month whether the previous one  was spent  or not,  another one will be released is not proper,’’ he said.

The psychologist alleged that this uncounted huge amount of money called security votes was one of the reasons why everybody wants to  be governor of a state by all means.

“Some governors instead of using this money to improve security in their states, used it to enrich themselves as well as to suppress the opposition parties in their states,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Chidimma Eleazu, an activist and lawyer, said security votes should be stopped, because is unconstitutional and not appropriated for.

“If the president and governors should continue to receive security votes, it should be reflected in the constitution and annual budgets.

“This will enable Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable.

“Is unfortunate that in some states, bandits are killing and kidnapping people  on daily basis, but their governors collect security votes every month without much  to show for that,”  she said (NAN)

HOA/OU

=======

Edited by Obike Ukoh

================

Permit

By Hilary Akalugwu

Nsukka (Enugu State)  Feb 5, 2020 (NAN) The Enugu State Government has given one month ultimatum to tricycle and motorcycle operators in Enugu North senatorial zone to obtain plate numbers and rider’s permit.

The senatorial zone comprises Igboeze North and South Local Government Areas, Igboetiti, Nsukka, Udenu and Uzouwani council areas

Chief Matthias Ekweremadu, the state Commissioner for Transport gave the directive in Nsukka on Wednesday at an interactive forum with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and the tricycles and motorcycles associations in the zone.

The commissioner warned that failure to do so would attract sanctions including impounding of their tricycles and motorcycles.

Ekweremadu noted with dismay that over 60 per cent of tricycles and motorcycles operating in the zone had no plate numbers and rider’s permit, which he described as `illegal and unacceptable’.

“All operators of tricycles and motorcycles in the zone are given one month from today, Feb. 5 to get their plate numbers and rider’s permit from the state government or their tricycles and motorcycles will be impounded by the ministry.

“This forum is organised to sensitise operators and make them to know the importance of having plate numbers and rider’s permit.

“Operators should also have correct paper particulars of their tricycles and motorcycles as well as ensure that their side mirrors are functioning well, while plying on roads,” he said.

He explained that the rider’s permit which was an equivalent of drivers’ license was approved by the Enugu State government in 2019 for all tricycles and motorcycles operators in the state.

“The rider’s permit lasts for three years before renewal and the cost is N6,000.

“If you want to get your plate number and rider’s permit, come to the ministry of transport in Enugu or its office in Nsukka local government.

“Your plate number identifies you as the owner of a tricycle or motorcycle and if it is stolen the number will help the law enforcement agencies to recover it.

“Without rider’s permit you are plying on the road illegally and in case of any accident you will be jailed because you are not licensed to ply the road,” he said.

In a remark, Mrs Chinwe Ugwu, the Transition Committee Chairman, Nsukka Local Government Area, lauded the ministry for the forum aimed at sensitising operators of tricycle and motorcycles in the zone on what they were expected to do.

Ugwu, who was represented by the Vice Chairman of the Council, Mrs Oby Nweze, also lauded the ministry for extending the enforcement of plate number and rider’s permit in the zone from two weeks to one month, as requested by Nsukka council.

“I thank the ministry for this meeting that allow operators to air their views as well as extend the date for the enforcement of acquiring the plate  number and rider’s permit for operators in the zone from two weeks to one month, “she said.

Also speaking , Mr Chika Eze the Chairman of the state Motorcycles Association commended the ministry for organising the forum while promising that his members would abide by all the directives of the ministry.

Eze however, pleaded with the commissioner to extend the deadline for the enforcement by three months to enable operators to get the money but the commissioner rejected the request. (NAN)

HOA/CCN/MNA

=========

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Maureen Atuonwu