KADUNA LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLLS: Why Voters may be Disenfranchised

An Election Officer Training Supervisors for the exercise

A Kaduna-based civil society organization, Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), has vowed to watch out for under-aged voters and thugs in tomorrow's Local Government polls and hand them over to security agents.

Convener of the coalition, Mr Yusuf Goje told Cubinks in an interview that as part of its social responsibility, CALPED had decided to team up with other civil society organizations "to own the electoral process by ensuring that it is hitch free and credible.

"As part of our contribution to the democratic process, we are duty bound to join other stakeholders by making sure the right thing is done and by so doing democracy would deepen and Nigeria would be better off", Goje said, advising that all hands should be on deck to fish out thugs and under aged voters not only in tomorrow's local government polls but in subsequent elections.

While maintaining that it would be absolutely impossible for the electorate to vote in credible candidates if votes do not count, Goje called on indigenes and residents to come out en masse and vote the candidates of their choice in tomorrow's local government polls.

CALPED decried the disenfranchisement of temporary voter card holders who include newly registered voters and those who have requested for replacement of damaged or missing cards, contrary to the provisions of the constitution on eligibility of the voter. The Coalition alongside other civil society organizations have been making this call from the onset especially now that the accredtiation machine (card reader) is no longer to be employed during the polls. KADSIECOM is yet to reconsider this call not deny eligible voters.

Meanwhile, Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai has appealed to voters in the state to conduct themselves peacefully and orderly throughout the length and breadth of the state to prevent anything that could lead to violence and possible breakdown of law and order. The governor who was believed to be reacting to rumors making the rounds that political thugs and under aged voters were waiting in wings to disrupt the process, warned trouble makers to stay away from polling stations or face the full wrath of the law.

Comments

Why States may be unable to pay new minimum wage -Commissioner

Citizens listening with rapt attention By YUSUF GOJE C ommissioner, Planning and Budget Commission Kaduna state, Mohammed Sani Dattijo has queried the rationale behind the proposed upward review of the minimum wage, which he said compels even states that are not viable to play ball. Making the assertion at the recently concluded Citizens' Consultation forum on Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2019-2021 held in Kaduna, Dattijo said:"The minimum wage should be moved from the exclusive to the concurrent list, even though Kaduna state is healthier than most states, there are states that cannot afford the increase in minimum wage. If this is not done, the increase in minimum wage will only be on paper but difficult to implement by many states, resulting in labor disputes". He stressed that the exclusiveness of this piece of legislation which empowers only the Federal government to de...

Yearning for sound Fiscal Responsibility

Fundamentals for good governance G overnment and Citizens' Groups in Kaduna state have teamed up to engender effective budget tracking and implementation to create the enabling environment for increased internally generated revenue (IGR), in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). This was the fallout of a three-day eye opening event, facilitated by Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL-ECP), in collaboration with the Kaduna state government. The engagement touched on the urgent need to conduct budget trend analysis across key sectors - Economics, Social, Law/Justice as well as Administration, including audit report, all aimed ultimately at putting Kaduna state in good stead for sustained economic growth. Addressing participants drawn from government and citizens' groups, Mr Timothy Effiong, a Public Financial Management Consultant, maintained that even in Kaduna a state that is very policy-driven, there exist gaps in g...

Coalition urges COP-27 to fast track advocacy against Climate Change

Participants in a group photograph after the event in Kaduna By EDDY OCHIGBO, A coalition of environmental organizations in Kaduna, under the aegis Extinction Rebellion (XR) - a global movement which seeks to persuade governments to act justly on climate change and ecological emergency - has hosted a pre-COP27, in partnership with Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, to galvanize the campaign against climate change, as the the 27th Conference of Parties slated for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt kicks off. In an exclusive interview with NATIONAL ACCORD, one the coordinators of the event in Kaduna metropolis, Mr Zinta Akpoko, revealed that COP27, Egypt could become a turning point of the campaign, given that forerunners of the conference have since pledged to relentlessly push to prioritize climate financing for developing nations. "The effect of climate change is very evident and we need to be very frank by telling the truth about the inherent dangers tha...

Fiscal responsibility: Kaduna State's debt burden and unrealistic budgeting

By YUSUF ISHAKU GOJE T he budget is said to be the second most important document outside the constitution, without which even the constitution cannot fully function. It enables governments to turn campaign promises articulated as policies into concrete public services that seek to improve the overall living standard of the people. That is why it remains the most critical socio-economic policy tool that outlines the government's priorities in financial terms. The extent to which the government's proposed spending sticks to what it has projected as realistic revenue makes a budget credible. Therefore, it also becomes a measurement of government's sincerity and capacity to deliver on campaign promises. More importantly, the credibility of any budget depends on its realism, as you cannot spend what you cannot get. That means for a budget to be realistic it has to be substantially achievable. However, politicians are always under pressure to spend more, most times overshooting ...

TRIBUTE: Dr Bala Takaya 1930 - 2018

Bala John Takaya (2nd Left) at a function recently By Nasiru Jagaba Again, with rude shock, death has come upon us in the early hours of Sunday, 27th May, 2018. It is with deepest regret that the Middle Belt Youth Wing of Middle Belt Forum mourns the death of our President, Father, Mentor, and a tireless advocate of equity, fairness and justice, Dr Bala John Takaya, the President of Middle Belt Forum has silently closed the door of life and departed from us, never to return. 68 years old Takaya, an unparalleled University Senior Lecturer, a distinct politician who served as the Secretary to State Government of the old Gongola State, a member of the 1987 Political Bureau. On the fight to restore democratic system of governance, he worked hand in hand with Chief Solomon Lar. Also, in 1999 he was the governorship candidate of the All People’s Party, APP later ANPP. He is much esteemed in the community of Middle Belt and generally recognized as on...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog