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Civil Society Observer Group Thumbs PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election
…Says it met Best Standard Practice
Jeph Ajayi
The Coalition of accredited Civil Society Observer Groups has thumbed the successful conduct of credible, transparent, free, fair and all inclusive primary election of the party on the 22nd February, 2024 Edo State People Democratic Party PDP ahead of the September 21st, 2024 Governorship election.
To this end, the group also commend the PDP family in Edo state, especially the delegates for their peaceful and orderly conduct during the election.
In a statement issued by the ,group team leader Victor Kalu and Team Secretary Mrs Rose Akhi gbe on Friday in Abuja said the election is no doubt met the international best practices for democratic election.
According to the statement, We Coalition of accredited Civil Society Observer Groups for the 22nd February, 2024 Edo State PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election, having carefully followed the entire process of the election with respect to the Party Constitution and Guidelines for the conduct of the election in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission Set Standards and our other relevant National Electoral Laws, wish to state our position and report categorically clear as thus:
“Ahead of the September 21st, 2024 Governorship election in Edo state, as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the soon to be ended tenure of the incumbent governor H. E. Godwin Obaseki.
“The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) announced 22nd February, 2024 for the conduct of their primaries to elect a flag bearer for the 21st Sept. 2024 Governorship election. This date was timely communicated to all the aspirants, party stakeholders and all other relevant authorities including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and was unanimously agreed by all as being convenient.
“The official venue for the party primary election was announced to be at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Be in City. While the party also adopted indirect primaries.
“We are impressed to observed that before the primary election, the party ratified as genuine and authentic the delegate lists that was produced after the peaceful delegate election and in affirmation of the commitment in ensuring credible, transparent, free, fair and all inclusive primary election of the party, the delegate list was given to all the aspirants to enable them have direct access to the delegate and lobby for their votes.
“Ten aspirants were screened and cleared to participate in the election.There was an impressive and adequate awareness among party members for the election.”
The statement added that: “Also, the regular stakeholders engagement by the National and State leadership of the party was very instrumental in ensuring peaceful and orderly conduct of the primary election. The stakeholders meetings played a crucial role in disseminating important information, clarifying doubts, and building trust among party members.
“The level playground given to all the aspirants, even to the point of making the delegate list available to them, went a long way in dowsing tension and building great trust on the neutrality and unbiased position of the National LEADERSHIP of the party and the Election Committee in conducting credible and acceptable election.
“Accreditations: The screening and accreditation of delegates, media, Observers, Security Personnel and all other election duty officials was carefully and transparently done in Edo Hotel Marque, GRA, Benin city between the hours of 8:am to 12:noon prompt under the watchful eyes of various security Agents and other relevant bodies. The successfully accredited delegates and officials were simultaneously transported to the venue of the Primary election, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium by designated Buses under a very tight security.
“Based on the above appreciable democratic approach taken by the PDP leadership and His Excellency Dauda Lawal led Primary Election Committee, we wish to make the following categorical state;
“The PDP Governorship Election in Edo state actually took place as scheduled on the 22nd of September, 2024.The national and State leadership of the People Democratic Party was very resolute and committed to ensuring a peaceful and all inclusive party primary election that will stand as an example and further unit the party.
” This they, to the best of our observation achieved. There was timely availability of all the election materials and open display of same to all the Aspirants’ Agents, delegates and all relevant stakeholders before the commencement of the election in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines.
“There was a visible and adequate presence of various security Agents who conducted themselves in a very professional and orderly manner before, during and after the election.
“The Executive Governor of the state, His Excellency Godwin Obaseki is hereby applauded for his fatherly disposition to all the aspirants and for his open campaign against godfatherism/imposition of candidates in our polity as a people.
“Finally we commend and appreciate PDP Edo state Governorship Primary Election Committee ably chaired and co-chaired by His Excellency Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state and His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state respectively, for their professional conduct and for remaining resolute and committed to conducting the most credible, transparent, free and fair all inclusive primary election in the state.
“We conclude by stating very categorically that the Edo State PDP Governorship Primary Election actually took place as scheduled on the 22nd February, 2024 in the official Venue and INEC recognized venue, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City under a very peaceful and calm atmosphere. The exercise was transparent, credible, free and fair in line with democratic tenets of constitutional elections.
“We therefore adjudge it to have met the international best practices for democratic election.
“The results and outcome of the election should therefore be accepted by all as a true reflection of the People Democratic Party members’ choice of their flag bearer in the forth coming September 21st 2924 governorship election in the Edo state.
“We use the medium to urge the winner of the Primary election to reach out to all other aspirants and show magnanimity in victory, while appealing to those who lost out in the election to show a good spirit of sportsmanship which is the beauty of democracy- there is always another chance, or better explore every democratic channel as stipulated by law to ventilate their grievances without violence.”
Featured
NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow
By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC
As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.
Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.
Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.
But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.
As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.
Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.
Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.
Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.
As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.
Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.
Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.
As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.
We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”
To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.
To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.
And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.
Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.
The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.
Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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