INEC, National Assembly Should Learn From Ghana Presidential Election – Bukola Saraki

By Raheem Ibrahim

The former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has implored the nation Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly to emulate the Ghana Electoral Commission in handling next elections in country.

Commenting on the recently concluded presidential election in Ghana, Dr Saraki reasoned, “our next-door neighbour, presents a wake-up call to INEC and the National Assembly on the need to review our electoral process and make it more efficient, transparent, credible and in line with best practices across the world. That is the only way we can continue to earn our place as the continental leader”.

According to him, “There is a need for INEC to embrace technology and make it help the process. A situation where the election in Ghana was conducted on Saturday and by Sunday morning, the contestants had the results that were sufficient enough to make the ruling party concede victory must only be possible through the use of efficient technology”.

The former Senate President was of the opinion that any excuse that still allows some officials to conduct elections manually or gives the impression that results cannot be uploaded in real-time on the IREV should be eliminated. Any election that does not meet the technology threshold should be nullified, saying “We must do everything to discourage and disincentivize the sabotage of technology to manipulate results”.

He argued, “Some people may argue that Ghana is a smaller country than Nigeria, however, even when INEC conducts an election in one state, the results do not come out so fast as to be known the morning after the election as it was done in Ghana”.

“The electoral commission must also comprehensively review its internal mechanism and arrangement to ensure it can help accomplish its constitutional duties”, he advised.

“Also, the National Assembly should urgently review the current electoral laws and make amendments that will address the lapses without leaving any ambiguity when it comes to conducting elections in line with law. The NASS should update the laws to the point that they can help INEC deliver transparent, easy, fast, and credible elections.

“These should be our takeaway from the Ghana election. That is in addition to congratulating the people of Ghana for the smooth transition of power they are about to witness”, he remarked.

 

Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Distinguished Personalities To Be Honour At AMJON 2024 Annual Lecture In Lagos.
Raheem Ibrahim.

The Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola and some distinguished personalities are to be honour at the 2024 annual lecture of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.

Oyetola who is expected to be Special Guest of Honour at the occasion will also be honoured with the Grand Patron of AMJON.

The event is billed to have the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Bar. Pius Akutah, Dr. Paul Adalikwu, Secretary General of MOWCA; and other Maritime CEOs as guests and participants amongst some shall be confered as Patrons of AMJON.

According to the AMJON General Secretary, Oluwasegun Oladipupo, the event is scheduled to hold on December,12 at the Rockview Hotel Apapa, Lagos.

The conference which is aimed at digging deep into the untapped Nigerian Blue Economy which is estimated at about $1.9trillion will commence at 10:am.

AMJON Secretary revealed that the conference with the theme: “Nigeria’s Maritime/Blue Economy Industry under the Renewed Hope Agenda: What is New”, will spark off fresh national conversations on what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and creation of the Marine and Blue Economy ministry holds for Nigeria.

He said, “The conferment and induction of these notable maritime technocrats is to further strengthen and reposition AMJON to play it’s statutory role of nation building creditably in the areas of capacity, functionality and efficiency.

The Patron of AMJON, Chief Tony Nwabunike, along with other Notable drivers and stakeholders in the maritime sector will be on hand to chart this new course for AMJON.

Corroborating the Secretary statement, the outgoing president of the association, Paul Ogbuokiri said the event will bring together influential voices for collaborative dialogue and development of the maritime industry.

Leveraging on the theme of the lecture, Ogbuokiri revealed that it will educate participants and stakeholders on the activities of government and its agencies in actualising the potentials, prospects and opportunities which abound in the Blue Economy sector.

“Stakeholders and investors shall be educated on the available opportunities and the conducive environment provided by government for investments to grow and yield tangible returns on investments, ROI, in the sector” Ogbuokiri said

According to Ogbuokiri, the 2024 AMJON annual lecture will be unique as it will feature installation of patrons, matrons, presentation of awards to deserving Nigerians and inauguration of the newly elected executives, led by Mr. Kelvin Kagbare; which shall pilot the affairs of the foremost maritime journalists association for the next three years.

Already, top executives have indicated interest and attendance at the event even as paper presentations have been confirmed.