Suspend the NIN registration now. The lives of millions of Nigerians are at risk.

Suspend the NIN registration now. The lives of millions of Nigerians are at risk.

As hospitals are now being crowded with COVID-19 patients, government and citizens alike must avoid crowded places that could serve as super-spreaders of the virus.

 

The National Identity Card registration points across the country is a typical case in point. The crowds at those centres are not only worrying but could be potentially catastrophic as very little attention is being paid to social distancing and other precautionary measures.

 

If the government insists on the announced deadline for the registration, then it must seek ways of eliminating the red tapes and partnering with relevant institutions (or the private sector) that will bring registration points close to the doorsteps of most Nigerians.

 

This will make the process seamless and efficient – without mentioning the thousands of jobs that will be created.

 

However, if the government remains adamant in its approach, then it must suspend the registration until the coronavirus has been effectively contained. Our country can avert a major health crisis by applying a common-sense approach.

7 Factors that have contributed to Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit

7 Factors that have contributed to Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit

According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed Nigeria needs an estimated sum of $100 billion annually to address the infrastructural decay in the country. While the Youth Party has proposed several ways of boosting Nigeria’s revenue base, it is important to highlight some of the factors that have led to this infrastructural decay. They are:

1.Awarding of contracts to companies that lack the capacity and expertise to effectively execute the project.

2. Diversion of scarce resources needed to solve infrastructural problems.

3. Wasting public funds on white elephant projects that contribute little or nothing to the economy

4. Poor socio-economic conditions that discourage private capital and foreign investments.

5. Inflation of contracts and huge corruption in the various ministries responsible.

6. The lack of accountability and transparency in the budgeting, awarding and supervision of infrastructure projects.

7. Waste ensued from the growing number of abandoned projects from past administrations and the failure of successive governments to continue the

 

The Abia Local Government Elections was a sham. We demand a re-run.

The Abia Local Government Elections was a sham. We demand a re-run.

On Saturday 18 December 2020, elections were scheduled to elect local government chairpersons and counsellors across the 17 local governments in Abia state. The Youth Party was on the ballot with three credible candidates in Bende local government to compete for counsellorship seats in item ward A, D and Ajayi Ward A.

 

Unfortunately, the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission sabotaged the entire process. Election materials did not arrive until very late in the evening in most of the local governments. And when it did, the materials were either grossly inadequate or above the registered voters in the affected polling unit. Sadly, materials never arrived Bende local government where our candidates were supposed to compete.

 

Worth mentioning, also, was the dubious process of accreditation. None of our party agents witnessed the accreditation of voters using the official voters’ register. It was a chaotic exercise, fraught with irregularities and rigged in favour of the Peoples’ Democratic Party.

 

Not to mention the conflicting role played by men of the Nigeria Police some of whom were caught on tape intimidating innocent voters.

 

These anomalous situations deterred thousands of eligible voters from exercising their democratic right. The glaring incompetence of ABSIEC was aptly captured in a statement issued by Hon Benjamin Kalu, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs. He said “No polling unit in Bende local government area opened for accreditation. There were no voters register anywhere in the polling units. It wasn’t just that the election was rigged. In this case, there was no election.”

 

The Youth Party, therefore, demands that a fresh election is held. This time, however, the process must be devoid of manipulation and irregularities. The ABSIEC should seize the opportunity that a fresh election provides to not only redeem its image but to restore the confidence of the people in the electioneering process. If the Abia state government refuses to cancel this election, we will have no other option than to seek redress in court.