Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: Area Council Elections

  • Area Council Elections: Bello, Aliyu seeks support of Abuja Traders to Vote APC

    Area Council Elections: Bello, Aliyu seeks support of Abuja Traders to Vote APC

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    As the February 12th Area Councils Elections in the Federal Capital Territory , FCT, draws close, the Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu today called for the support of Abuja Traders to to vote for the All Progressive Congress ,APC.

    The two ministers said that this will ensure seamless governance from the Federal to the grassroot levels and dividence of democracy will be enjoyed by all.

    The Senior Special Assistance on Monitoring, Inspection and Evaluation to FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah made the position of the ministers known when he played host to Great United Okirika Traders Association who came to felicitate with him on his appointment.

    Attah said, “But those of us in politics, we know without politics there won’t be government, we want all stakeholders to vote our party, APC, the Minister has always asked us to beg all stakeholders to vote for our party candidates, because if we are not in power we are no where, the Minister and Minister of State, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, have appealed to all traders to vote APC in the forthcoming Area Council election.”

    FCT Minister Malam Mohammad Musa Bello is committed to the development of Abuja, he may not talk or shout about it but if you drive round the city, you will see construction works going on at Deeper life junction, Power house junction, Wuye bridge among many other, he added.

    While referring to the plights of the Nyanya traders, Attah said, you need to have a good section for those who deal on second hand cloths and second hand items particularly as the market is being developed to factor you in. It is very cardinal like what we have in Garki model market you already have a place nobody will say any taskforce is disturbing them on the road.

    He said, “COVID-19 has affected all our businesses and of the truth is that we have been able to pull through the pandemic.We have been able to engage and I think we need to engage more. I think you need to have a good section for those who deal on second hand cloths and second hand items just like it is in Garki Model Market where nobody will say any taskforce is disturbing them on the road.

    “Your place is strategic and the busiest, we are hopeful that you have a similar section on Nyanya market. We have spoken to the developer and we are hopeful that when the place is fully developed, we will start a deeper engagement, there might be a redesign . ”

    “They can even carve out a place whereby you know you can trade within Nyanya. I commend you for leaving the road corridors. But Minister came to the market to see things for himself and allowed you to stay. You people have been following up on your boundaries and I am very happy about this and am impressed. We are going to engage the developer next week, he assured the traders.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman, Great United Okirika Traders Association, Mr Christian Kalu said, they are enjoying the market today because they complied to the directives given to them.

    He appealed to FCT administration to factor in Okirika traders into the new market design.

  • Area Council Elections: INEC decries low turnout, calls for increased women participation

    Area Council Elections: INEC decries low turnout, calls for increased women participation

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Wednesday called for increased women participation in the forthcoming FCT six Area Councils Election coming up on 12 February,2022.
    Making the call at a Town Hall Meeting with women groups and Gender Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, yesterday in Abuja, Director Gender Inclusivity , Blessing Obidegwu called for more women participation in the Area Council elections.

    Obidegwu said that women constitute half of the nation’s population cannot be ignored because they form a critical mass of voters, noted that the equal participation of women and men in is a key principle of democracy while the place of gender equality in democracy cannot be over emphasized.
    She said, “As at 2019 general elections, in FCT, 743,238 males and 601,618 females registered. While only 217,009 women voted on Election Day showing 36% voter turnout. This figure is too poor and we hope that in the upcoming FCT Area Council election, more women who have collected their PVC, will come out to vote.”
    She noted that the Town hall meeting with women groups, CSOs with the support of the European Centre for Electoral Support , ECES, and other stakeholders was organized by INEC was aimed at strategizing ways of encouraging increased increased women participation in the FCT Area Council elections holding on Saturday 12th February, 2022.
    She charged the women groups and gender focused CSOs, to strategize and facilitate the process of enabling the active participation of women identify challenges and ensuring that they are mitigated if not completely eliminated before Election Day.

    We will try to reach out to the different strata of women for this election, especially the rural women as they inspite of all challenges,come out on election day to vote, Obidegwu promised.
    Deputy Director INEC Gender Relations, Chika Osuji urged women in the FCT to vote
    wisely with their voter’s card.

    Osuji said,” the Commission intends to deploy Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) for this election in order to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.”
    “Again , nobody without his/her permanent voters card (PVC) would be allowed to vote. It is hoped that you will keep your PVCs handy and be ready to use them to exercise your franchise.”
    She noted that the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections are not just the business of the Commission alone but the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in the electoral process.

    Deputy Project Coordinator European Center for Electoral Support, ECES, Manji Wilson promised that the Commission is ready to provide support for a free , fair and credible election in the FCT as he urged more women to come out to vote on the day.
    The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ , FCT Chapter, Comrade Anna Daniel was optimistic that the Area Council election would have more women voters this time.
    Daniel said, ” With the INEC’s readiness and security assurance in the FCT, this has given women more courage to turn out to cast their votes on 12 February , 2022 Area Council election.
    My call to FCT women is for them to come out in their number to exercise their franchise because their participation matters on who they would choose to lead them, she said.