Botched polls: thugs run away with ballot boxes

PDP thugs were reported to have carted away with ballot boxes at a least 3 polling units within Adikpo Metropolis in the botched National Assembly Elections on 2^nd April, KSN learnt.

The youths who were well armed have assaulted INEC staff, party agents and so many voters before they took away these electoral materials. The affected polling units were New Motor Park, Kaav Liev 1@ 2. This ugly situation cast a doubt on the combined security of the military, police and civil defence who were seen on parade within Adikpo as these activities were done under their noses.

A senior police officer who spoke to KSN on the condition of anonymity revealed that the bulk of the who were brought from Makurdi to restore order were not redeployed by the  DPO .The reasons for this act were not clear. It is observed that there were no police presence at the 3 police stations that were affected.

Meanwhile, the DPO of Kwande Division,Mr Moses Aiki has been moved to Ohimini Local Government in a way that looks as if it is resultant from his inability to handle the Kwande political situation and his Ohimini counterpart is moved to Kwande. Although a police source claimed the gesture is temporal; just within the election period, a source close to the police headquarters Makurdi told KSN that the gesture was a substantive transfer.

GWAZA BUR WILL HAUNT KWANDE IF………………..

When I hear that Kwande politicians are scheming, planning and bragging on how to outwit one another, violence wise, in the coming polls, I seat and remember my University Years, especially the year 2004.

In 2004, I was what the Americans call a sophomore, a year two student- I had a serious course outline: His205, “Introduction to Archeology”, His 207 “History of the USA to 1865” His 211, “Major world civilizations’” etc. those courses demanded care and no distraction so I fought  and avoided the normal university distractions (you know), but my distraction at this level  was to come from a different angle…

As usual, I had sent home for money and food. In those days of no GSM, we wrote letters and sent verbal messages through London Line and later Pleasure Travels. So after one of my lecturers, late Sylvester O‘Tserekaa has finished confusing me about Amerigo Vespuchi’s Voyages to continental  America in a His 207 lecture , I went to the motor part to receive garri. Rather than got garri as I have expected, I was told to my dismay that there was commotion in Adikpo, that a militia was let loose at Kwande people, so I could not get anything. I was confused because as some one studying the Vietam war and revolutionary uprising in the Middle East and other African countries, I thought the word “militia” was too sophisticated to be used in an Adikpo context. The rate at which that word was magnified in my mind, I wondered why it would be used in a Kwande environment. Yet, it came to be true.

Kwande had decided to attach kwande and old ways of doing it, “blackmail”, “little skirmishes”, “tyre burning”had  become obsolete. Guns had to be used, terror was unleashed, people died, houses were burnt, people ran, girls were raped but the most significant of these activities, the climax of these senseless activities was the brutal murder of Mallam Gwaza Bur (1924-2004).

The death of Gwaza Bur and how its relate to the 2004 crisis, to me, is in the fact that the old man was not a politician and was generally known for peace. It was unlikely that somebody with a track record of integrity and self discipline to become a victim of brutal murder. If there was any reward for a life well spent for a man like elder Bur  then, it was “he died after a brief illness or in his sleep”. But never; a newly trained and equipped militia under alcoholic stupor, did not realize this, so they killed him.

And that was why every body knew that, the death of Bur was sacrificial. He forfeited a “peaceful death”, which should his lot for "a brutal one” to pacify the then heated  kwande. And I suppose  such a sacrifice can not be or should not be for only seven (7) years (2004-2011). When the writer of the Hebrew account spoke about Christ dying for  the church undergoing persecution, he said Christ died “once” and paid the prize. In the kwande context, Elder Bur’s death could be viewed from this biblical allusion with all its implications.

So why go back to crisis? Yes, Kwande is gradually relapsing, but I know, if the full blown crises comes, Bur’s ghost will come for Vendetta (purely a Tiv Cosmological issue) I am not talking of a “dablelike” appearance to haunt us but his blood shall call God to curse kwande (a purely Christian concept; cf; Cain/Abel, Genesis)

Here we are; we must take precautionary measures to avoid that, if not for the beautiful reasons made public by CWO President, Mrs Judith Yende, when she led women in a demonstration round town, but for the sake of mallam Gwaza Bur’ vendetta.

NOTICE OF POLLS FOR 2011 GENERAL ELECTIONS

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 46 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) as follows: Date and Hours of Polls (A) National Assembly Elections will hold on the 2nd day of April, 2011. i.        Accreditation will be from 8:00am – 12 noon. ii.      Voting starts from 12:30pm and ends when the last accredited voter on the queue casts his/her vote. (B) Presidential Election will hold on the 9th day of April, 2011. i.        Accreditation will be from 8:00am – 12 noon. ii.      Voting starts from 12:30pm and ends when the last accredited voter on the queue casts his/her vote. (C) Governorship and State Assembly Elections will hold on the 16th day of April, 2011. i.        Accreditation will be from 8:00am – 12 noon. ii.      Voting starts from 12:30pm and ends when the last accredited voter on the queue casts his/her vote. Persons Entitled To Vote Persons eligible to vote at the elections shall be those legally registered during the 2011 registration of voters exercise. Location of Polling Units Voting shall take place in the centres where voters registered during the 2011 registration of voters exercise. Issued this 18th Day of March, 2011. ABDULLAHI A. KAUGAMA Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission

 

DSS AND POLITICAL LEADERS IN BENUE ON POLLS

THESE ARE the highlights of the meeting that took place between the Department of State Services (SSS) and Leaders of Political parties in Benue State .

At the end of the meeting, a Communique was drawn as follow:
1. That the April 2011 elections will be free and fair in Benue State
2. That no party in Benue State will by any act or ommission encourage political violence.
3. That security agencies in Benue State should not allow themselves to be used for political violence.
4. That the security agencies will work jointly to ensure that perpetrators of political violence and criminal activities in Benue State face the full wrath of the law irrespective of their positions in the society.
5. That traditional rulers should steer away from partisan politics.
6. That no party in Benue State will conduct rallies on the highways but approved public facilities.
7. That we as political leaders of Benue State have signed and undertaking binding us to ensure peaceful elections in Benue State in April, 2011
8. That sponsors of political violence will be held liable for any breach leading to the disruption of the April 2011 elections in any part of Benue State.
Signed:
1. Iyorchia Ayu - ACN
2. Prof Daniel Saror - ANPP
3. Barnabas Gemade - PDP
4. Agbo Emmanuel - PDP
5. Witness - DG SSS

Engr Adagi is dead

Engr Iorvihi Adagi, a politician, and German trained engineer is dead. he died a few days ago. we shall furnish you with the details shortly.

WHY WE ARE ON STRIKE-Kwande Local Government Staff

The National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Kwande Local Government chapter, had revealed why it is on strike. Speaking to KSN on the day the strike action commenced, former Acting NULGE Chairman for Kwande, Mr. George Ayisa revealed that they were being owed six months salaries beginning from October last year.

        Among other reasons, the striking NULGE members said they were being owned their 2009 leave grant. They said their promotion had stalled and was no longer coming. According to them, they had given the local government Council a 21-day ultimatum to call them and negotiate on their claims. However the ultimatum elapsed without any action from the Council. Another ultimatum, lasting 7 days was given which also elapsed without action, hence their resole to the strike Action.

        Asked what should happen before they would resume work the NULGE Members said all their demands had to be met. They warned that even if they were paid one month’s salary, they would not resume until all the outstanding months being owned were paid.

        Their strike action, which they said had followed due procedures commenced on March 1, as t hey went about closing offices and urging their colleagues to stop work immediately.

        KSN can report that following the strike not work has been going on at the secretariat as no staff agreed to turn up. Meanwhile all efforts to contact the council chairman Hon. Terlumun Akputu failed as he was said to have traveled out of town. A source close to him however said the Chairman was up and doing to ensure the striking member resume work soon.

The Next Ter Kwande to come from Usar and Nanev-Tor Tiv

      

        The Tor Tiv, His Royal Highness, Orchivirigh Akawe Torkula has revealed that the next Ter Kwande would come from Usar and Nanev. The Tor Tiv made this known during the burial the late Ter Kwande, James Adzape.

        Represented by the Ter Kyor, HRH, Jam Igbiande, the Tor Tiv praised the late Ter Kwande as a dedicated Chief who was going to be missed greatly. He said the Ter Kwande had been the chairman of the Uter of all the Tiv Local Governments in the State. The Tor Tiv urged the Kwande local Government council to take proper care of chiefs and not to neglect their burial ground which he regretted, was not well-looked after.

        The revelation about where the next Ter Kwande will come sparked mixed feelings as Usar would ordinarily be under Nanev and would therefore not need to be separately mentioned, where the latter had already been mentioned. Meanwhile a number of Nanev and Usar sons are reported to have begun wide consultations on the matter.

Shameful: politicians Mar Ter Kwande’s Burial

        The burial of the late Ter Kwande,  His Royal Highness James Adzape was marred by clashes between PDP and ACN Youths, February, 26 at Adikpo. The day before, PDP youths went about in the town removing ACN posters and those of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Professor Steve Ugbah. So early that Saturday, morning a number of ACN youths in retaliation, attacked the Suwam/Lawani campaign bus and smashed it window glasses. In the melee that ensued, a number of dignitaries stayed away from the burial. Even those who had spent the night in hotels in the town could not stay at the burial because of the atmosphere of fear.

        A source which preferred to be anonymous blamed the caretaker committee chairman of Kwande, Hon. Terlumun Akputu. “We know that Akputu is behind all these things. As a matter of fact, that is the reason for which Suswam insisted on making him the chairman at his time. The unfortunate thing is that this behaviour will only take us back to the 2004 crises,” The source lamented.

        Reacting to  the crisis allegations, the PDP Youth Leader for Adikpo township, Mr Ujah Kwaghhon accused the former governor, senator George Akume of bringing an opposition party to Kwande when he, during his tenure had destroyed kwande in 2004 because it was then in opposition. “Well one day, Akume said we should run a one party system. The opposition APP came and Akume sent people to come and burn us down. Now that we have agreed to do one party, it is the same Akume that has brought the ACN.” He said. Asked how the clashes could be averted, another PDP youth, Timothy Vambe advised the Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam to report to the security operatives where the weapons allegedly being piled by the opposition where coming from. “The governor of Benue state is the chief security. We expect he knows where the weapon are coming. So he should direct security personnel like the state security service SSS to go and seize those weapons,” he admonished. “If you hear about beating, it is the ACN that started. They damarged Suwam’s campaigns bus, they beat the township leader. So if they say we have beaten them they lying” Timothy said.

        Mr. Ujah wondered why Akume who had done eight years as governor did not want another person to also do eight. “He did eight years. Why doesn’t he want another person to do eight years too? Was it because people at that time did not know politics?” He asked angrily. The PDP youths alleged that it was the ACN youths who were bringing down their billboards by themselves to turn round and blame PDP youths for vandalism. “They burnt down their party’s posters, damaged their vehicles and are now saying it is the PDP youths that are causing trouble” the youths alleged. Mr Ujah said the PDP was in government and did not want to be blamed for any crises. “But when t hey keep beating us everyday like that and we respond and say enough is enough, people come together and talk because we can’t continue to be beaten forever” he warned.

        Meanwhile, a cross section of Kwande people have condemned the crises. Elder Statesman and Benue political leader, Wantaregh Paul Unongo anyone instigating crisis in Kwande we not go unpunished. Another individual who wouldn’t have his name in print said he was ready for whatever trouble  that was coming to Kwande.

        People from all walks of life including Governor Gabriel Suswam, Ho, Terlumun Akputu, Senator Iyiola Omisore, the Uter of Local governments in Benue State and many other dignitaries witness the burial. Chief James Adzape had died on 23^rd  December, 2010 at Madonna Hospital, Makurdi.