Saraki Says U.S Should Extend Visa Ban To Electoral, Judicial Officers

FORMER Senate President Bukola Saraki has urged the United States (U.S) to expand the visa ban it slammed on Nigerian politicians to include electoral officers, security officials and judicial officers who undermine the nation’s democracy by their actions during and after elections

He also called for a strong enforcement of the law which provides for punishment of politicians, law enforcement agents, ordinary citizens and electoral officers who are caught subverting the electoral process.

“All stakeholders must show commitment to diligent enforcement of and compliance with the law. This has been addressed in the 2010 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2019 worked upon by the Eighth National Assembly,” he said.

Saraki spoke on Tuesday on the topic: Electoral Reforms and Democracy, at an event organised by the Centre for Advancement of Civil Liberties to mark the International Day of Democracy.

The former Senate President submitted that a faulty electoral process is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

He enjoined the Ninth National Assembly to expedite action on the Electoral Act as the next general election is almost 30 months away.

Saraki said: “Nothing threatens our democracy more than a faulty electoral process. We cannot afford to allow our populace to lose faith in the democratic process. That will be a recipe for chaos.”

Also, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday hailed the U.S for imposing visa ban on some Nigerian politicians accused of allegedly undermining democracy and electoral process.

In a statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition said: “It is instructive to note that this announcement by the U.S, which reinforces the determination for resistance in Nigeria, is also an unambiguous caution to the sacked National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, the APC governorship candidates in Edo, Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his Ondo counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, over their plots to use violence to undermine the sanctity of the Edo and Ondo state governorship elections…”

Comments

Biden Announces Purchase Of 200M Vaccine Doses

President Joe Biden announced a series of measures on Tuesday aimed at ramping up coronavirus vaccine allocation and distribution, including the purchase of 200 million more vaccine doses and increased distribution to states by millions of doses next week. With those additional doses, Biden said there would be enough to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans -- nearly the entire US population -- by the end of summer or early fall. He described efforts to combat Covid-19 as a "wartime undertaking." We now have a national strategy to beat Covid-19. It's comprehensive. It's based on science, not politics. It's based on truth, not denial, and it is detailed," he said. As part of the new efforts announced Tuesday, the US will buy 100 million more doses from Pfizer/BioNTech and 100 million more from Moderna -- the two-dose vaccines that have been granted emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer and Moderna are working to step up p...

How Soldiers Police Fled Abandoning Delta Community Residents During Bloody Robbery Incident

There was pandemonium in Issele-Uku branch, headquarters of Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta state on Tuesday as some armed robbers attacked a branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA) in the town. A eyewitness said the robbers gained entrance into the bank after using explosives suspected to be dynamite to blast the bullet-proof door. According to the eyewitness, the robbers spent over one hour on the operation. He disclosed that no fewer than four persons were killed in the robbery attack. The eyewitness said security operatives around the area refused to show up until the robbers had left. “This attack is a reoccurring one in the community. Yesterday, they robbed for an hour and the police didn't show up, neither did the army nor the community vigilantes until they left, that was when they showed up as usual. “I counted about four bodies, the police station is about a minute drive from the scene of the robbery, while the NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) orientation ...

Police Arrest 20, Rescue More Victims After Killing Of 22 Travellers In Plateau

The Plateau State Police Command has arrested 20 suspects in connection with a recent deadly attack on travellers in Jos, the state capital. On Saturday, several travellers were attacked and killed by gunmen in the Jos North Local Government Area of the state. The travellers were reportedly passing through Jos when they ran into gunmen who opened fire on them. In a statement issued on Sunday by the force spokesperson, Frank Mba, the police have arrested 20 suspects while about 33 victims have been rescued. Mba also stated that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the deployment of Police Intervention Team to Plateau State to carry out on-the-spot assessment. This, he said, is to ensure an enhanced, coordinated response to protect the community and boost public confidence in the affected area of the state. The statement read partly, “ The Police Intervention Team is led by DIG Sanusi N. Lemu, mni, the Deputy Inspector General of Poli...

ExtMedia

Search This Blog