Although, acts of harassment, intimidation, and assault of persons are listed as offences in the Electoral (Amendment) Act (No. 2), 2011 of Nigeria, the only female candidate, Natasha Hadiza Akpoti, in the Kogi State gubernatorial election which was concluded on Saturday, 16th November, 2019, tasted those bitter pills during the process that led to the re-emergence of the incumbent, Governor Yahaya Bello!

The print, electronic and social media were awash with the travails of Natasha, a legal practitioner and Social Democratic Party (SDP), candidate, [who strongly believed in gender equality and implementation of the 35 per cent Beijing Declaration of 1995 which advocates for stronger/effective female representation and participation in politics and governance], which began with the rejection of her candidacy by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for fielding an under-age running mate.
A flurry of legal tussles had to be initiated by her team of lawyers for the Abuja Appeal Court to rule in her favour before her Party’s name and logo were restored on the ballot! She had to cross other hurdles which included but not limited to late electioneering campaigns for votes, mostly from her women folks and the Kogi Youths, who turned out to be both her albatross and worst nightmare!

On one occasion when she was billed to attend a stakeholders meeting with INEC, in Lokoja, the State capital, irate youths barraged her with unprintable verbal insults and physical attacks in the open glare of law enforcement agents, who (according to those reports), turned the other eye “even when she was assaulted and pushed to the ground!”
Before that show of shame, the SDP Secretariat in Lokoja , Kogi State Capital, was razed by unknown criminals, its party Chairman and driver were attacked and assaulted by thugs who inflicted head and body injuries which landed the duo in hospital, while the official vehicle in which they travelled was totally vandalized!


According to security experts, Kogi State, was one of about EIGHT flash points identified for electoral violence across Nigeria and for that uncharitable appellation, its entire topography of polling units was flooded with about 30,000 Police and Civil Defence personnel to ensure adequate law and orderliness, in the 3,000 polling units; but did the massive deployment achieve the desired results?


ANY SOLIDARITY FOR NATASHA BY KOGI WOMEN FOLKS?
It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that Nigerian women are their own “household enemies”! When Mrs. Sarah Jubril, an articulate and eloquent woman activist/politician, in 2003, offered herself to run for the presidency, she was sneered by her women folk at the party primaries where she garnered no votes but hers! But, a determined Natasha has proved beyond all reasonable doubts that with the right environment women could conveniently be better leaders than the male chauvinists through her determination never to give up!
Nigerian women have the golden numerical advantage which they had obstinately failed to utilize to advantage over the years. Maybe they are satisfied to take the back seat in the KITCHEN but they needed to wake up and be their “sister keepers” because the digital 21st Century global village with its ICT Opportunities has provided great opportunities for the girl child and women to occupy the front seats in every endeavour of life without excluding the vulnerable “not-too-young-to-rule folks being used as criminals during electoral processes in Nigeria! The women, “as the hands that rock the cradle”, have proved to be better politicians, presidents, professionals, captain of industries, administrators, etc, in other climes!


NATASHA CALLS ON INEC TO CANCEL KOGI ELECTIONS!
Natasha stated that security situation during the Kogi election was very tense because criminals who were on a well coordinated rampage had free reign. SHE WAS CORROBORATED BY SOME FOREIGN OBSERVERS AND YAGA AFRICA, SAM ITODO’S UNBIASED LOCAL OBSERVER OUTFIT, AND HAS UNEQUIVOCALLY CALLED ON INEC TO CANCEL THE ENTIRE GOVERNORSHIP/KOGI WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE FORMS OF MALPRACTICES AND VIOLENCE RECORDED IN ALMOST ALL POLLING UNITS! SHE CAME THIRD WITH 8,539, 000 VOTES!.


NIGERIAN WOMEN SHOULD SET UP A NATIONAL TRUST FUND (NTF)!
Women often complained about being unable to cope with the unwholesome trend of Nigeria’s money-induced politicking dominated by the male money bags! But have they ever thought of uniting to set up a National Trust Fund (NTF), which could be centrally administered to support the Amazons amongst them and beat the men folk to their game in the political turf?
NATASHA IS A WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE WHOSE POLITICS TRANSCENDS HER LOCALITY – SHE WILL SURVIVE ALL STORMS ANY DAY AND ANY TIME AND EMERGE STRONGER! WATCH OUT FOR NIGERIA’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT IN THIS WOMAN OF INTEGRITY!


REPORTS ON KOGI AND BAYELSA ELECTIONS BY OBSERVERS!
Beginning with logistics, INEC endorsed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with transport owners since it lacked its own fleet. Late arrival of materials which delayed registration, accreditation and voting were recorded in both States but INEC claimed that 90% and 80% delivery of voting materials arrived in both States respectively, before 10am of 16th November, 2019, in spite of pockets of disturbances and violence, which led to the alleged death of three persons on 13th November, 2019, in Nembe, Bayelsa State, during an electioneering campaign.
INEC in a press release said that it was aware that there were pockets of violence, perpetrated through open vote buying, thuggery and ballot snatching. Police confirmed impersonation of security agents by criminals who dressed in camouflages and arrest of 21 persons including recovery of some quantities of live ammunitions. Where elections were disrupted, elections have to be cancelled and INEC would reorganize fresh ones according to extant laws, both the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act. Political actors and politicians always dragged INEC to court even when they had no strong petitions. INEC has performed creditably but the stakeholders needed to avoid further disruption of elections in desperate manner, the agency advocated.

THERE WERE EARLY WARNINGS AND YET IN 20 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY, NEGATIVE INDICATORS STILL PREVAILED BEFORE EVERY ELECTION! PEACE ACCORD REPRESENTED MERE RHETORIC & FORMALITY! WHY WERE CRIMINALS ABLE TO CIRCUMVENT ABOUT 60,000 - STRONG SECURITY OUTFIT IN KOGI AND BAYELSA WHERE A NEW HELMSMAN, MR. DAVID LYON OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), IS THE NEW SHERIFF?

SOLUTIONS: WAS IT NOT HIGH TIME ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM (E- VOTING), WAS INTRODUCED BY LAW? IT IS POSSIBLE IF PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI COULD MUSTER THE POLITICAL WILL WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATORS OF THE 9TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (NASS)! IN ADDITION, AN URGENT NEED FOR SERIOUS ADVOCACY FOR POLITICIANS TO DESIST FROM RESULTING TO ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS SENTIMENT IN DESPERATION FOR VICTORY, SHOULD BE INITIATED BY THE RULING ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS PARTY QUICKLY TO CHANGE THE VICIOUS CYCLE!

WHAT WENT WRONG IN KOGI AND BAYELSA, WITH SUCH MASSIVE SECURITY OCCUPATION?
How did 30,000 Security personnel fail in KOGI and a similar figure in Bayelsa could not be ON TOP OF THE SITUATION IN ONLY TWO STATES?
A serious conversation on the urgent need for the introduction of PUBLIC THEOLOGY for national discourse which MUST simultaneously dovetail into educational curriculum at all levels is most appropriate at this critical period of our political and electioneering architecture!
WE WILL CHAMPION THE ADVOCACY IN OUR SUBSEQUENT PUBLICATIONS! Electioneering bloodshed MUST be eradicated and it should be now! “A stitch in time saves nine!”



I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066. G-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

Thank you Dr Olufon for the courage to put down this review and for the thought provoking questions on what the Kogi women are doing to support Natasha Akpoti.
I watched one of the video she shared on her Facebook page where she was lamenting how she was ridiculed and called unprintable names for mounstering the courage to challenge GYB in a poll. This is to underscore the fact that beyond the physical attack on her campaign Office and the public humiliation at INEC organized stakeholders forum, she has not been spared of emotional blackmail. Yet, the women folk in Kogi state could not show her an atom of solidarity.
This is a lady that prevailed on the 8th assembly to conduct a public hearing on Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Industry broadcast nationally on NTA and the the Minister of Mines,Iron and Steel ,now Governor of Ekiti state didn't attend the public hearing and failed to send a representative.
Today, she has been able to facilitate the signing of agreement between Nigeria and Russia to complete the moribund project, meanwhile, a good number of the People that will benefit from.the Company from Kogi Central are busy casting aspersion on her. Although I am happy Mr President went to sign the agreement with Russia, but her role should be recognised by APC leaf Government and all the attack on her should be investigated, and perpetrators punished, including INECand Police collaborators.
Natasha Akpoti needs the support of the masses , especially in Kogi state.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1QTfGYj_0g
The above link provides video of House of Representatives Hearing on Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Industry with Natasha Akpoti presentation.

middlebelter:


This is a lady that prevailed on the 8th assembly to conduct a public hearing on Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Industry broadcast nationally on NTA and the the Minister of Mines,Iron and Steel ,now Governor of Ekiti state didn't attend the public hearing and failed to send a representative.

^^^

The people of Kogi State made their electoral choices last November and they will live with the consequences. That's all I have to say about the election.

The public hearing on Ajaokuta is another example (out of so many) of why the future looks very bleak for this country. That clip should be required 'hearing' for all Nigerians and for Kogi state indigenes in particular.

Successive Nigerian governments sold millions of Nigerian children into poverty, want, deprivation and slavery when they refused to complete that steel complex. And yet the main actors in these failed administrations got away with it with no consequences whatsoever. They are all free men who have not been held accountable for the treason they committed.

Not a single public enterprise from that era of the last century exists today. Where is National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria (NAFCON)? Where is the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) whose technical partners/consultants (Ferrostal) also left in cloudy circumstances just like the Russians did? Where is the Ajaokuta Steel Complex (ASC)?

Young people in Nigeria would rather watch Big Brother Nigeria/Africa, La Liga or UK Premiership football instead of the things that really matter. Those public enterprises I listed up there were supposed to provide jobs for Nigerians. Today, they are nothing but footnotes in history books. And yet Nigerian youths have nothing to say or do about this. Nigerian youths are not interested in history. They are not interested in politics. They are not interested in government. They are not interested in ethics. They are not interested in civics. They will not vote in elections (or when they do, they vote against their interests ) and yet they are angry that the country has gone to hell.

A country gets the leadership it deserves. The "wasted generation" has failed miserably by its own admission - it clearly cannot help itself. And if that generation cannot save itself, how can it save others? If the younger generation - a generation that has known nothing but dystopia from the very beginning - does not take charge of its future, there will be nothing left here in the next half century.

VolvoS60:


^^^

The people of Kogi State made their electoral choices last November and they will live with the consequences. That's all I have to say about the election.

The public hearing on Ajaokuta is another example (out of so many) of why the future looks very bleak for this country. That clip should be required 'hearing' for all Nigerians and for Kogi state indigenes in particular.

Successive Nigerian governments sold millions of Nigerian children into poverty, want, deprivation and slavery when they refused to complete that steel complex. And yet the main actors in these failed administrations got away with it with no consequences whatsoever. They are all free men who have not been held accountable for the treason they committed.

Not a single public enterprise from that era of the last century exists today. Where is National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria (NAFCON)? Where is the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) whose technical partners/consultants (Ferrostal) also left in cloudy circumstances just like the Russians did? Where is the Ajaokuta Steel Complex (ASC)?

[b]Young people in Nigeria would rather watch Big Brother Nigeria/Africa, La Liga or UK Premiership football instead of the things that really matter. Those public enterprises I listed up there were supposed to provide jobs for Nigerians. Today, they are nothing but footnotes in history books. And yet Nigerian youths have nothing to say or do about this. Nigerian youths are not interested in history. They are not interested in politics. They are not interested in government. They are not interested in ethics. They are not interested in civics. They will not vote in elections (or when they do, they vote against their interests ) and yet they are angry that the country has gone to hell.

A country gets the leadership it deserves. The "wasted generation" has failed miserably by its own admission - it clearly cannot help itself. And if that generation cannot save itself, how can it save others? If the younger generation - a generation that has known nothing but dystopia from the very beginning - does not take charge of its future, there will be nothing left here in the next half century.[/b]

Nice one