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CTJ Condemns Rivers State Elections as Undemocratic and Illegal
The Centre for Truth and Justice (CTJ) has criticized the recent local government elections in Rivers State, calling them a violation of democratic principles. The elections, held on October 5 by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), took place despite a court ruling from Justice Peter Lifu, which stated that RSIEC did not follow the required 90-day notice before setting the election date.
The ruling also prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register and barred security support from the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
In defiance of these orders, the election proceeded, with the Action Peoples Party (APP) winning 22 of the 23 local government chairmanship positions. Obinna Francis, the Executive Director of CTJ, condemned the elections in a press conference, claiming they lacked transparency and legitimacy. He labeled the actions of Governor Fubara in conducting the elections as a “dangerous precedent” that threatens democracy, stating, “What happened in Rivers State is a travesty of democracy and an assault on the rule of law.” Francis emphasized that the elections were illegal and violated core democratic principles.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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