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Civil Society Observer Group Thumbs PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election

Published

3 years ago

February 24, 2024

…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.”

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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