Ndibe Tasks Nigerian Electorate on Political Choices

Ndibe Tasks Nigerian Electorate on Political Choices

By Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie

Following yesterday’s inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States of America and Vice President Kamala Harris, a US-based Nigerian intellectual, Prof. Okey Ndibe, has called on Nigerian electorate to draw lessons from the US elections, where the electorate stood firmly behind their political choices, and voted for the right candidates.

Analysing America’s general election in November 2020, which brought Joe Biden to political power, Ndibe said America has been a contentious country since the leadership of former President Donald Trump, and that President Biden would have some challenging task in unifying and rebuilding America.

Ndibe, who discussed the US politics and the lessons for Nigeria yesterday during the Morning Show of Arise News TV, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said Nigerians have great lessons to learn from the US politics and its last November elections that brought President Biden to power.

According to him, “Nigerians should learn from Trump’s election loss and his inability to return to power for a second term because of his ideologies that brought division to the people of America. Africans and Nigerians must push against that kind of politics where Trump believed so much in himself and refused to listen to the voice of wisdom.

“With Trump, American industrial sector fell low and industry workers lost confidence in his administration. The haphazard way with which Trump handled the COVID-19 pandemic is another lesson that African and Nigerian leaders should learn from.

Trump projected himself as a credible salesman that would sell the right solutions to America about the COVID-19 pandemic spread, but he failed in his projected solutions and American punished him for it by not voting for him.

“Again, Trump has no regard for Africans, and he called Africans unprintable names, which brought about personal dislike for Trump by Africans living in and outside America.”

Speaking further on lessons and morals to learn from the America’s politics and election, Ndibe said: “There is need for political vigilance on the choices we make during elections. Nigerians should be more concerned about the choice of their political leaders who will govern the affairs of the country. Young Nigerians must have stake in politics and must come out with their voters’ cards to vote for the right person that believes in the masses who will work for the common good of the masses.

“Youths must avoid election violence and work together to pursue a common goal. The zeal, with which Nigerian youths carried out the #EndSARS protest, should be the same zeal in which they will defend the Nigerian democracy.”

According to him, Nigerian youths should draw lesson from America election, where the youths and the electorate rejected products and votes that were not legitimate. “Such should be enforced in Nigeria to reject election rigging and illegitimate votes in order to bring the right candidates to power,” he said.

Ndibe, who is also a novelist and political columnist, advised enlightened Nigerians to begin proper education of the poor electorate on how not to sell their votes for mini gifts like a cup of rice, a cup of beans and paltry sum of money, which greedy politicians use to buy votes.

Kwara Police Parade Two Herdsmen over Abduction of Four Turkish Nationals

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command yesterday paraded two Fulani herdsmen over their alleged involvement in the 2019 abduction of four Turkish nationals in Gbugbu village in Edu Local Government Area of the state.

The two suspects were also paraded with their two AK 47 rifle used during the operation.

Parading the suspects in Ilorin, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Lawal Bagega, said: “Four of the kidnappers were arrested with one AK47 in July 2019, however, the victims were rescued alive without paying any ransom.”

Bagega said: “However, two suspects were at large. Since then, the state police command has been in search for the fleeing suspects.

“Actionable intelligence, however, indicated that the suspects were planning to carry out another operation, and my operatives arrested them.

“During investigation, the suspects confessed to be the members of the kidnap syndicate that abducted the four Turkish citizens.

“The suspects also confessed to have participated in several other kidnaps, especially at the Enugu/Abakiliki axis of the country.”

The state police commissioner, however, said: “Investigation is still ongoing to arrest other syndicate members who are at large, and recover their operational weapons, as these suspects would soon appear in court.”

Bagega disclosed that the command also paraded organiser of a naked party in Ilorin.

He said: “Following intelligence on the criminal activities of one Akinsola Babatunde also known as Mr. White, residing in Achimugun Street, GRA, Ilorin, and his cohorts who are into strip and naked party in lounges, club houses, service apartments among others in Ilorin metropolis and its environ, the state police have arrested and paraded them.

“Operatives of the state intelligence bureau attached to the state police command carried out a sting operation involving tactical undercover and maneuver, and arrested Mr. White, who had advertised for a strip party in Ilorin on social media, and successfully organised a party in a service apartment in Jacob street, behind GRA Shoprite Ilorin.

“The immoral and illegal act of Mr. White and his accomplices clearly contradicted the COVID-19 protocol and equally promotes crime and criminality in the state.

“Efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing members of the gang, and those nabbed will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.”

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