Radio Nigeria Ibadan Zonal Station

Tag: YIAGA

  • Ogundoyin Charges Young Lawmakers to Make a Difference

    By Mosope Kehinde

    The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin has tasked National and State Houses of Assembly lawmakers within the age bracket of ‘Not too Young to Run’ in the 10th Assembly to strive to make a difference in the discharge of their legislative duties.

    Mr Ogundoyin gave the charge in Abuja at a conference jointly organized by Youth Initiative For Advocacy, Growth and Advancement, YIAGA Africa and the Young Parliamentarians Forum, YPF for elected young lawmakers in Nigeria. 

    Mr Adebo Ogundoyin harped on the need for all the new and returning young parliamentarians in the 10th Assembly across the country to justify the mandate given to them by approaching their legislative and oversight duties with all sense of diligence and responsibility. 

    He told them not to compromise on excellent public service and quality legislative representation

    Mr Ogundoyin added that it was imperative for all young parliamentarians to prove their mettle and do the work better 

    ” The Conference was impactful and highly interactive. It was a good forum for a lot of young and vibrant lawmakers to meet and share ideas on the legislative assignment before them. This is a good omen as we have to demonstrate our innate strength, ability and intelligence as youthful parliamentarians who have benefitted from the “Not too young to run” policy. 

    “The Convergence 5.0 which featured many presentations exposed the young parliamentarians to requisite skills and tools necessary to change the narrative, and do the work better and differently. 

    “In my submission, I reiterated the fact that democracy only blossoms where governance is driven by individuals with capacity, competence and character. “

    The Speaker commended the Youth Initiative For Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) Africa and the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly for organizing the conference and he urged the two bodies to continue to monitor and keep tabs on the entire youth constituency in Nigeria. 

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  • Group Calls on President Buhari to Address Shortage of RECs

    A Civil society group, the YIAGA Africa has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently appoint more Residents Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission to address the present shortfall.

    The Executive Director of YIAGA, Mr Samson Itodo made the call while addressing Newsmen on the outcome of the Osun Governorship election in Osogbo.

    Mr Itodo noted that twenty five RECs of the Commission would be retiring and require urgent replacement ahead of the next year’s election.

    “2023 Election is around the corner and it portend grave consequence for the Nigeria’s electoral system to go the election with such inadequate critical officials of the Commission”.

    The YIAGA Director suggested that such individual to be appointed must be people of impeccable character,moral standing and incorruptible tendency.

    He also added the need to consider gender balance in the appointment, noting that only two women are currently Resident Electoral Commissioners in Nigeria.

    Mr Itodo also charged the National Assembly to accelerate the process once the appointees were presented before them.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the YIAGA AFRICA Board Dr Hussain Abdu had presented it’s report on the Osun election where it commended INEC for the significant improvement in logistics management for the Osun 2022 Governorship election, saying the personnel and essential materials, such as the Voters Register, BVAS,voting cubicles ad ballot boxes, were deployed early in most polling units.

    Dr Abdu said the organization condemned cases of violence and disruption of the voting and results Collation process by thugs and hoodlums, especially violence targeted at NYSC members and INEC staff.

    “Although these cases are isolated,the undermine Nigeria’s electoral reform project. YIAGA extends it’s wishes to polling officials who suffered severe injuries due to attacks and violence against polling officials”.

    “YIAGA AFRICA calls on INEC to audit the newly created polling units and ensure equitable distribution of voters to the polling units. In cases where voters have been allotted to new polling units, INEC should update the voter records on it’s website and communicate the changes to prevent voter disenfranchisement.”

    Adenitan Akinola

  • Osun 2022: Group Expresses Worry over Election Process

    In about 9 days to the Osun State gubernatorial election, an election monitor group, YIAGA Africa has expressed concern over some activities which could compromise the sanctity of the process and the outcome of the election.

    The Yiaga Africa’s Pre-Election Observation (PREO) report captures the activities of the key election stakeholders: INEC, Political parties, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), as well as indicators of electoral violence from a period of May 26 and June 16.

    Presenting the report to Newsmen in Osogbo, YIAGA’s Director of Programmes, Miss Cynthia Mbamalu and a Board Member, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu listed monetisation of the election and activities of cultist and political thugs as potential threat to the success of the Poll.

     The organization said it received reports of voter inducement by political parties in four local government areas in Osun.

    “In particular, WTV received reports from Iwara ward 1 in Atakumosa East where PDP supporters were seen distributing money to citizens to travel to the INEC office at the local government headquarters to collect their PVCs, this is intended to get the citizens to vote for the PDP on the election day.

    “Additionally, WTV LTO reported the distribution of gifts in the form of food items by the APC and PDP supporters

    around the Odo-Otin local government. The distribution of bread and garri during the PDP campaign as well as the distribution of beans during an APC campaign rally. Both incidents took place in Ekosin-Inisa in the LGA of Odo-Otin.”


    It also noted that activities of cultists and hoodlums were gradually becoming a recurrence in the Osun pre-election environment ahead of the election.

    “This pre-election observation period still reveals activities of hoodlums and cultists in the state with the recent critical incident being the disruption of PVC collection in Ilesa Local Government Area of the state.

    “Reports of activities of cultists and hoodlums are gradually becoming a recurrence in the Osun pre-election environment ahead of the election,” the report made available to Radio stated.

    Yiaga Africa said it deployed 31 long-term citizen observers (LTOs) and deployed them across the 30 LGAs of Osun State to systematically observe the pre-election environment in their various local governments.

    The report called on political parties and candidates to conduct issue-based campaigns rather than engage in voter inducement, and recruitment of thugs and cultists for violence.

    Stating its recommendation in the report, Yiaga Africa said security agencies should ensure the arrest and prosecution of all involved in any form of violence in the days leading to the election.

    It also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consistently provide updates on the number of PVCs collected ahead of the state election.

    Adenitan Akinola