The Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has declared that the State House will lead the way in keying into the global shift towards renewable energy choices by government institutions in line with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.

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The Plan seeks to tackle the dual crises of energy poverty and climate change with renewable energy contributing at least 30 per cent to the energy mix by the year 2030.

Professor Gambari said this in State House, Abuja, when he received in audience a three-man team from EM-ONE Energy Solutions that paid him a courtesy visit as a follow up to an earlier presentation on options available to the State House to address its energy challenges.

According to the Chief of Staff, “the world is now focused on reducing the effect of climate change. What we are looking for is the energy solution that comes with environmental sustainability.  For us in the State House, there is the need to live by example. Just like I was impressed by your first presentation, your growing capacity and technological innovation continued to enhance your ability to deliver on your projections. I am happy to note that you could actually upscale the renewable energy solution with more space for the solar panels.”

“I am also glad that you have come to update us as this will enhance our process of deciding which way to go.  State House cannot afford not to be at the forefront with the First Family here, and we cannot afford blackouts and need to reduce how much we spend on diesel and, cut down on carbon footprint; so this is the direction we want to go,” he stressed.

The Chief Executive Officer of EM-ONE, Mir Islam, thanked the Chief of Staff for the opportunity given to the team, noting that, having grown up in this country, “we don’t want Nigeria to be left behind in the global energy transition programme.

“More than 50 percent of the energy need of the State House can be provided in the Phase One and can go up to 80 percent, but for space constraints with the possibility to export the excess power generated into the national grid in line with the Energy Transition Plan of Nigeria on public utilities.”

He added that the company’s Pilot Renewable Energy at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Mabushi, Abuja, is a good case study for other public buildings in Nigeria, noting that a similar project would provide the resilience and the cost saving measure that the State House requires.

According to him, “State House, being a very important edifice would be a role model for all other public buildings especially as climate change is now a point of global focus.”

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary State House, Tijjani Umar, said he brought the team following the charge by the Chief of Staff to work out the best way out of the growing power challenges of the State House; prohibitive cost of power generation as well as the unsustainable carbon footprint on the environment, which is not environmentally friendly and also costly to sustain. Based on this, we invited EM-ONE for a presentation which recommended the option of a renewal energy solution which is the current trend the world over.

“So, they provided options in their initial presentation which will enable us scale down what we spend on power and are here with a follow up presentation with additional value-adds to enable us arrive at a decision for a sustainable power solution for the State House,” Umar said.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari “to direct the Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba to promptly, thoroughly, and transparently investigate the reported attack on the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, after a rally in Katsina state, and other cases of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence across the country.”

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SERAP also urged him to “direct Mr Usman Baba and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN to name and shame any politicians and other perpetrators of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence, and to ensure that they are promptly brought to justice.”

SERAP urged him to “caution state governors to end reported suppression of campaigns by opposition parties within their states, and to ensure the security and safety of opposition candidates, members and supporters.”

Mr Peter Obi was reportedly attacked after a rally in Katsina with heavy stones while on his way to the airport. This attack is coming on the heels of reported 339 incidents of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence across the country in 2022.

In the letter dated 28 January, 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said, “Escalating cases of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence are fundamentally inconsistent with the principle of free and fair elections.”

According to SERAP, “Investigating and prosecuting these cases, and bringing perpetrators to justice would stop further violence, facilitate free and fair elections, and encourage Nigerians to freely exercise their right to vote.”

SERAP said, “Investigating and prosecuting these cases would also promote and ensure the rule of law and democratic tradition in the country.”

The letter, read in part, “The Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Electoral Act, and the country’s international human rights obligations recognize as fundamental the right to participate in one’s government, and the free and fair elections that implement it.”

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”

“Election-related intimidation, harassment and violence are grave violations of the rights of Nigerians to participate in the democratic process and free and fair elections, as well as a range of other human rights.”

“Free and fair elections mean elections conducted under conditions that enable voters to cast their votes as they wish purely on their own accord without any threats, intimidation, harassment or violence before, during and after elections.”

“Free and fair elections are indispensable for the success of any democracy. But free and fair elections cannot take place in an environment characterised by recurring cases of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence.”

“Fairness means providing equal opportunities and a conducive environment for all the contending parties to present their cases to a public which, in turn, may make a free choice.”

“In a political climate of suppression of opposition parties’ campaigns and other election-related intimidation, harassment and violence, the electorate will not feel free to exercise their right to vote.”

“SERAP is concerned about the growing impunity for election-related intimidation, harassment and violence.”

“Acting swiftly to address the brazen impunity for election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence would also send a strong message to politicians and non-state actors that your government would not tolerate any action that would undermine the people’s right to free and fair elections.”

“Mr Obi was said to be on his way to the airport, when some hoodlums and political thugs reportedly attacked the car he was riding in with heavy stones from his driver’s side, causing substantial damage to the vehicle. Subsequently, another set of thugs also reportedly threw stones outside the stadium which damaged several vehicles.”

“Gunmen also recently reportedly killed Christopher Elehu, the Labour Party (LP) candidate for Onuimo Local Government Area Constituency in Imo State. The gunmen also reportedly set Mr Elehu’s house ablaze and destroyed his properties.”

“The police in Ebonyi State recently dispersed hundreds of supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi who gathered for a rally in Abakaliki.”

“These cases followed other growing reports of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence in several parts of the country including Abia, Lagos, Imo, Kaduna, and Kano states.”

“Many state governors are reportedly suppressing campaigns by opposition parties within their states. The growing suppression of campaigns by state governors is an indicator of a slide into authoritarianism.”

“Your government has the constitutional responsibility to take immediate and concrete actions to reverse the trend and hold state governors to account for any infractions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the country’s international human rights obligations.”

“The Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’”

“Similarly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance guarantee the right to political participation, including the right to vote.”

“In particular, Article 13(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights provides that ‘[E]very citizen shall have the right to freely participate in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of law.’”

“These human rights treaties also require states parties including Nigeria to promote the establishment of the necessary conditions to foster citizen participation, and take effective measures to ensure that persons entitled to vote are able to freely exercise their right.”

“The growing election-related violence would undermine the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the Nigerian Constitution and paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.”

“Your government has repeatedly expressed commitment to bequeath a free, fair and credible election to Nigerians. Your government should now close the gap between its words and its actions by urgently taking concrete and effective measures to end the escalating cases of election-related violence in the country.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has further extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) nationwide to Feb. 4.

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The commission disclosed this in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye in Abuja on Saturday.

Okoye said that the decision was made at the commission meeting on Saturday, a day after  meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

He said that the meeting deliberated on several issues, including the reports from RECs on the ongoing collection of PVCs in its 774 Local Government Offices nationwide.

“Having reviewed reports from all the states of the federation, the Commission is encouraged by the progress made so far as more Nigerians troop out daily to collect their PVCs.

“Arising from reports from the various States and discussions with RECs, the commission has decided to further extend PVC collection in all its Local Government Offices nationwide by an additional one week.

“The ongoing collection of PVCs nationwide will therefore continue and end on Feb. 5.

“This is the second time the Commission is extending PVC collection nationwide and this will be the last extension of the exercise.

“Collection period has further been extended by an additional two hours and will start at 9am and end at 5 pm daily including Saturdays and Sundays.”

Okoye said that those who engaged in double and multiple registrations should not bother visiting any of the commission’s offices as INEC did not print their PVCs.

He said that INEC would continue to act on all reported cases of sharp practices during the ongoing PVC collection.

He added that INEC would ensure that no Nigerian was disadvantaged and that all those that carried out valid registration had an opportunity of collecting their PVCs.

“The Commission once again salutes the patience and doggedness of citizens,” Okoye said.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu during a meeting with RECs on Friday, said that the commission would not hesitate to consider additional measures to ensure that all citizens were given ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the general election.

The Pan Nigerian President of Igbo Extraction  Coalition (PANPIEC) 2023 Igbo Presidency Strategy Team has condemned the beheading of Chief Chizu, the Sole Administrator of Ideato North Local Government Area on the 22^nd of January, 2023 by Secessionists bent on frustrating the 2023 elections.

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PANPIEC sees the murder as gruesome, despicable, and abominable, and `does not in any way represent the Igbo race .

PANPIEC warns that Igbo commit atrocities and blame the Fulani, Hausa and Yoruba will not help the security situation in the South East.

PANPIEC warns that if the culprits and their sponsors are not contained and deradicalized, soon South East will be turned to a huge killing field, and politicians will relocate to Abuja and Lagos.

PANPIEC warns Ndigbo that the murder of the Local Government boss and the silence of Igbo elites are being misunderstood as signs of support for secession, and the negative reactions to it will manifest during the elections.

PANPIEC asks Ndigbo to condemn acts of barbarism and warns that a repeat of such will send wrong signals, threaten and demarket the Igbo Presidency project.

The Prof. Pat Utomi-led Big Tent Coalition of political parties and civil society groups for Obi-Datti has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the Jan. 29 deadline for collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group is rooting for the Presidential ambition of the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi and his running mate, Dr Yusuf Datti.

Utomi made this clarion call on Saturday at the Big Tent’s grassroots engagement for the ObiDatti movement with another round of the ‘Clean-Up Nigeria Project’ in Lagos to promote a culture of cleanliness of mind, body and environment.

In a statement by Mr Charles Odibo, Director of Media and Communications for the Big Tent, Utomi said that there was no “justification for ending the PVC collection exercise when a lot of people have not collected theirs, despite making good efforts.”

The renowned professor of political economy said: “INEC must rise up to the full meaning of its name by ensuring that its staff do not collude with political bandits to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians indirectly.

“We have information that millions of Nigerians are being disenfranchised through deliberate non-release of their PVCs. INEC must ensure that every registered voter is given the opportunity to collect his/her PVC.

“For three days now the INEC staff operating from Falomo Primary School, Ikoyi, Lagos, did not show up on their duty post and this is the recurring story everywhere.”

He, therefore, recommended that private sector led organisations like chambers of commerce, the economic summit group and civil society organisations could help INEC with the work of distribution of the PVCs.

According to him, this has become necessary “since it appears that INEC staff are stretched”.

Utomi also enjoined the international community to ensure that INEC did not compromise its independence through the pressures coming from political elites “who now know that their time is up.”

The chairman, who noted that Nigeria could not survive another day of bad leadership, said that most Nigerians had “decided to back the more credible, competent, young, energetic and trusted candidate of the Labour Party, Obi.”

Utomi, at the Clean Up Nigeria event which also held simultaneously across the country, said that it was time to invite everyone to look at where the country was and, to look at how much it needed cleaning.

Utomi said: “That cleaning begins from the physical, we need to clean up our environment because climate change is real.

“We need to clean up our consciences, because to serve the people is a central demand of our citizenship, we need to clean up our ways so that our country can prosper.”

He encouraged Nigerians to sustain clean up of the environment.

Utomi said that in cleaning the environment, “we set our minds to clean up corruption, to clean up nepotism, to clean up state capture, to clean up the desire to dominate others because truly it is fascism and it is creeping into our politics.”

Utomi also observed that Africa remained host to significant forest belts that played critical roles in absorbing carbon emissions and thereby putting the country in better steads as part of the planet.

“If our young people commit to this saving of the planet, it can be an outlet for a variety of things, an outlet for truly saving the advance of the dessert into our country which has direct bearing on poverty.

” Our concern is to stop the desert, to build a green army from which we can receive enormous credit for our country,” Utomi said.

The professor, therefore, said that he expected young people to learn what late President Kennedy said to the youth of America.

“Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country,” Utomi quoted Kennedy as saying.

He said: “With the youth of Nigeria going around, cleaning up our rural areas as we are cleaning the urban areas, we will be able to generate an economic machine that will move our economy forward.

“But more importantly, we will be able to get young people to bond, to engage the problems of now, and learn how to change their country, take their country over, cleaning up the environment, they will clean up consciousness and give us a new country that we can all be proud of.”

NAN recalls that INEC had fixed Dec.12, 2022 to Jan. 22 for the collection of PVCs before the commission extended the deadline to Jan. 29.