Niger Goes To Poll To Elect 25 Council Chairmen, 274 Councillors

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The people of Niger State will troop out today in an election that will lead to the election of 25 local government council chairmen and 274 councillors.

To ensure mass participation of the people in the election, the state government declared Thursday and Friday public holidays to enable eligible voters travel to the places where the registered to cast their ballots.

Campaign for the election by law ends at midnight on Friday.

The State Independent Electoral Commission the body superintending the elections through its Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Jibrin Imam, has also assured that all is set for the election which would be held in 4950 polling units.

Imam distributing sensitive materials to the various polling units in the presence of officials of political parties participating in the election assured that the polls would be “transparent, free and fair” before also asking the parties their candidates and supporters to play according to the rules.

According to Imam the commission has “nothing to hide, we will not protect any party or candidate, ours is to do the job according to the law” adding that “anyone that wins at any level would be declared as winner

” I want to reaffirm the unwavering commitment of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission NSIEC to the conduct of an election that will stand the test of time and reflect the will of the people” Imam assured.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Elleman announced the deployment of Deputy Commissioners of Police to the headquarters of the three Senatorial zones to provide adequate security for polling officials and voters.

Elleman warned trouble makers that they would be dealt with decisively if arrested.

10 registered political parties including the ruling APC, the PDP, ADC, SDP, Accord, AA, Boot are fielding candidates for the election.

Women Kick Against Continuous Degradation of Niger Delta Environment 

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Women under the aegis of ‘Women Climate Assembly’ have strongly kicked against the continuous degradation of Niger Delta environment following activities of oil multinationals in the region.

This was as the women have cried out the effects of climate change impacts orchestrated by oil extraction, saying that it is destroying their livelihoods.

They stated that impacts from oil pollution, gas flaring and monster flooding have increased suffering for them.

The women who made their position at a three-day Women Climate Assembly, organised by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, in Port Harcourt, said the government at all levels must seek holistic approach to tackle the menace of climate change.

In her keynote address, Prof. Engono Emeseh, mentioned that research shows that women are relatively much more impacted by climate change than the other gender. 

Emeseh, a Professor of Environment and Energy Law and Head of Law and Criminology, at the Aberystwyth University, United Kingdom, stated that climate change impacts, is a global problem and women have to be at the forefront of advocating how they want to respond to climate change and what support they need,  

She emphasised that stakeholders, including oil companies, governments and civil society have to be at the forefront of policy formulation that addresses the impacts of climate change.

She added that “It’s a crime that we are where we are in 2025 with the level of pollution that we have in the Niger Delta. And that as a government we have been unable to address that.”

Earlier in her remarks, Executive Director, Kebetkache, Dr. Emem Okon, revealed that the Assembly is part of the assemblies held during the Counter COP that creates space for community members and other persons who cannot attend the United Nations COP to share their stories and experiences. 

She said, “We are dealing with climate change. The weather patterns have changed over the years, and these changes have created situations that are not very pleasant for us as community members. The rains have become heavier.

“The flooding has become more regular. It has become an annual incident. And when flooding happens, people are displaced because their houses are flooded, their farmlands are flooded, their properties are destroyed by flood. In fact, flood causes a lot of discomfort. At times, people die. 

“People struggle with survival. All of us struggle with heat. And as often times, fan blows hot air, and no longer cool air. And we are also suffering from deforestation. The weather patterns have changed, and drastic actions need to be taken to arrest the situation. In the riverine communities, they suffer from sea level rise. People’s houses are destroyed,” she said.

She stated that frontline communities have continued to suffer the impacts of extractives. “The worst thing is that we are frontline to the extractive activities going on in the Niger Delta. We have been having gas flaring for the past seven decades. It destroys the roof. It makes us have acid rain and makes rainwater not safe for drinking. The roofs corrode. A lot of people are having respiratory problems.

Women are experiencing infertility issues, so all these things are part of the changes in our environment, the changes that have become destructive, and people do not have alternatives. 

“When something happens to the men, our husbands, our sons, our fathers, it is women that bear the brunt because we have to take care of them. If there are no resources to take care of them, we struggle to look for the resources. 

“So that’s why we gather for the Climate Assembly to share experiences, discuss with each other how do we cope, how are we coping? What should we do to get the people in authority to listen to us and take the required actions to address the problems?” 

Okon added that policies and actions geared towards solving climate change impacts must be all-inclusive. “Another demand is that whatever they do at the national level, at the international level, women should be part of the process because they need to hear from us how we are impacted for them to know the kind of solutions that will work for us, particularly those in rural communities.”

A renowned environmental activist, Celestine Akpobari, at the programme commended the women for their active participation in ensuring a cleaner and safer Niger Delta environment.

He however, lauded the ED of Kebetkache, Okon and the organisation for constantly drawing attention to environmental issues, “especially in a country where people have shifted all attention to politics and how to steal money.”