Riots designed to scare INEC, derail elections, says Jega Victims count losses, leaders urge toleranceTHE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo over their landmark victory at last Saturdays polls.At its weekly meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Council urged the two leaders to unite the nation behind them in the march to national transformation in the years ahead.The Council re-assured Nigerians of governments determination to enhance the security of law-abiding citizens in the affected northern states and called on state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and other Nigerians to co-operate with security agencies to restore normalcy to the affected areas.It also re-assured the people of governments determination to maintain law and order and the electorate to courageously participate in the rescheduled elections on Tuesday next week.The session was not all about the polls and the violence that trailed it, as the Council also awarded contracts worth over N48.5 billion for projects in the Niger Delta.The FEC strongly aligned itself with the presidential directives to security agencies to fully investigate the violence and bring to justice all those remotely and directly involved in the killings and destruction that took place in some parts of the federation.The Council also ratified a memo for the award of contract for the production of six million e-passport booklets and 3.5 million wafers and laminate for the use of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in meeting the April deadline for the use of e-passport. It is worth N13,950,280,000The full text of the Council resolution read by the Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku, along with Ministers of Interior, Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, Police Affairs Humphrey Abbah, and National Plannings Shamsudeen Usman after the session reads: The Council reviewed the nationally and internationally-acclaimed free and fair National Assembly and presidential elections held on April 9 and 16, 2011 and congratulates Nigerians who lined up in the sun and rain to exercise their civic responsibility. The Council congratulates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and NYSC corps members and all Nigerians who took part in the organisation of the April 9 and 16 elections.The Council congratulates President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo for their landmark victory at the polls and urges them to unite the nation behind them in the march to national transformation in the years ahead. The Council notes with regrets the unprovoked and premeditated post-election arson, violence and killings in some states of the federation by persons and groups, who employed open hatred against fellow citizens for freely voting for candidates of their choice as enshrined in our laws.The Council strongly condemns the regrettable tendency by a few to deny our nation its progress towards a united and stable polity from the regional and ethnic divisions of the past. Thus at a time the world is celebrating the glory of our presidential polls as one of the freest and fairest in our history, some persons chose to stain this glory with the blood of innocent citizens.The Council commiserates with the families of all those who lost their lives in the senseless and unfortunate violence, and those whose property were destroyed for standing for national unity against forces of division. The Council strongly reiterates the presidential directives to security agencies to fully investigate the violence and bring to justice all those remotely and directly involved in the killings and destruction that took place in some parts of the federation.The Council re-assures Nigerians of governments determination to enhance the security of law-abiding citizens in the affected states, and calls on state governments, traditional rulers and community leaders and citizens to co-operate with security agencies to bring normalcy back to the affected areas. The Council re-assures the nation of governments determination to maintain the peace, and urges all citizens to courageously participate in the scheduled elections coming up at the state level on the 26th of this month.The Council calls for prayers for the souls of the departed, and urges traditional rulers and community leaders to sensitise their communities on the need for peace and good neighbourliness in all parts of the country. The Council urges politicians and political office seekers at all levels to exercise a high sense of patriotism and responsibility to the nation as no one or groups ambition should be pursued at the expense of our nations unity, and the peace and tranquility of our federation.The first memo brought by President Jonathan and worth a total of N20,978,585,691, was for the construction of six key roads in the region, including the Ididep Ikot Odiong Ikot roads in Akwa Ibom State. This involves also the construction of a major bridge. The others are the erosion control project in Ibiono Ibom also in Akwa Ibom State, the construction of Ayan Ikot Ikpayak to Ikot Offiong, Ikot Enine to Ikot Iboanam road, the Ama Oboke Eze Ofia Isu Nzerem Ikpe in Isiokwe Ehime Mbano Local Council of Imo State, the Asa Obile Road (Imo State) and the construction of Mbiama junction along the East-West road at Igbogene Ahoada West of Rivers State.The second memo from the President for a total contract sum of N27,560,764,525 was for various infrastructure projects, including the construction of Afia Nsit Ikot Mbang Road project, the construction of Ibaka Bati Jetty and the construction Ibak Ikot Akoedo Ibom Ikot Road, all in Akwa Ibom State. The others are the construction of a 50-bed coastal hospital complex at Ekowe and the construction of another 50-bed coastal hospital complex at Ekeremo, all in Bayelsa State.Others include the construction of Akogbene Esama Ogbenama Road (Bayelsa State), the Ughelli flood remediation project, the construction of Oguta Lake bridge, Oguta Road (Imo State), the Umudike international drainage system (Abia State), the construction of Kula international road (Rivers State) and the construction of Akujagu Ama forestry protection road in Rivers State.Meanwhile, the Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has described the attack on the agencys officials, especially members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), as unwarranted.Jega said it was sad that instead of being celebrated, the corps members, whom he described as heroes, were being vilified and killed.The INEC chief pleaded with the rioters, traditional and religious leaders to rein in their followers and see the need to co-operate with the commission to conclude the remaining stages of the transition programme.He noted that the attacks on the corps members, who were carrying out their legitimate duty, were designed to scare INEC personnel from conducting the polls.Jega also pleaded with parents of the NYSC members, INEC officials and other stakeholders not to be intimidated by the deliberate move to stall the elections.He said: Once again, I pledge the commitment of INEC to ensure full protection for all ad-hoc personnel on election duties. With the help of Almighty God, we will spare no effort working with all the security agencies to ensure this. I urge our young and patriotic citizens in the NYSC, their parents and, indeed, all other field staff of INEC not to succumb to fear or intimidation by these persons whose major aim is to derail the elections and stop Nigeria from making political history. God willing, we will succeed.In a statement, which he personally signed and issued to journalists in Abuja, Jega said INEC had received with utter dismay the reports of wanton attacks on our ad-hoc members of staff in the ongoing general electionsmost of whom are NYSC members.
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