UCH NASU Election: Delegates are not true representatives—Concerned Members

 Concerned members of the Non Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) in the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria  have expressed their lack of confidence in the choice of the delegates mode of election in the re-scheduled elections of the union.

They expressed their dissatisfaction in a chat with Solomon2day.

The election comes up on Wednesday, 12 March, 2025.

''We do not have confidence in the electoral method of election. We are not comfortable with the electoral college method of elections; delegates who were handpicked by non-NASU members, including heads of departments, form the bulk of the departmental representatives. The elections do not reflect the popular wish of members. We ought to have been allowed to choose our leaders by the direct method,they lamented.

In a related development, the branch chairman f the union, Comrade Kehinde Abiona has faulted in disqualification to re-contest he rescheduled branch elections.

''There was a  directive from the national headquarters of the union that I have been disqualified to re-contest. The reason adduced was that a decision to increase the rate of subscription from 1 per cent to 2 per cent.   was taken a the 2019 rules conference of NASU. The union claimed that since I attended the the rules conference in person, I ought to have pushed for its implementation in the UCH, but  I failed to do so. And this resulted in underpayment to the union's national headquarters,'' Comrade Abiona stated.

However, he lamented that the proposal of subscription rate reduction from 1.5 per cent to 1 per cent was rejected in the 2019 rules conference saying,''they heaped  the blame on me that I cased the under subscription. But can such a claim be established? The union's constitution has been in existence since 2011 and we came into office in 2019. Why are they blaming me for the under subscription?''

The Local Scene

Millions of Nigerians have remained without employment for a long while.

Indeed, government officials continue to paste posters of non-existent vacancies in public places across the states of Nigeria under the cover of darkness.

Mediocrity has been upgraded to an embarrassing position, just as crime and criminality have now become the major priority of disappointed Nigerians.

Economically disadvantaged and dehumanized Nigerians now engage in various criminal acts to keep body and soul together.

NASU UCH Elects New Executives March 15

Members of the Non-Academic Staff and Associated Institutions Union(NASU) Ibadan, Nigria will, on Wednesday 15 March, 2023 elect new executives to steer the affairs of the union for the next four years. The incumbent executives referred to as the United Transformation team, led by Comrde Kehind Abiona are seeking re-election. The present branch secretary is Comrader Oluwaseun Asogbon while Comrade Omolara Ajenifuja is the Treasurer. For the Progressive team, Comrade Adekunle Adegboye is the candidate for the chairmanship position, Comrade Olapeju Falow for Secretary and Olabisi Akpuko for Treasurer. In his remarks, the incumbent chairman, Comrade Kehinde Abiona stated that the present NASU executive has performed creditably well, saying, '' we made a four point agenda and we were able to fulfill our promises within the first six months of our administration and we have done more. We have moved the union from where it was to an enviable position.'' The Comrade Adegboye-led Progressive team intends to implement an 8-point agenda if elected. The team intends to organize regular congresses to address workplace related issues, facilitate promotion and conversion for members, continuously engage and negotiate with management and empower female members and widows among others.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez releases information ahead of November 2022 General Election

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jeremy Peña will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Peña has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of New Mexico, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said United States Attorney Uballez. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Uballez stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Peña will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (505) 224-1451 and (505) 269-2038.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI or (505) 889-1300. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ . “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” said United States Attorney Uballez. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

FBI Warns Voters on Election Crimes Ahead of the November 2022 Midterm Election

Free and fair democratic elections are one of the founding pillars of the United States. The FBI is committed to protecting every eligible citizen’s right to vote. Consistent with past practice, the FBI is providing this information to educate voters about Federal election crimes and how to avoid them, and to encourage voters to report suspected violations to your local FBI field office. Election Crimes Election crimes threaten the integrity of elections and undermine public confidence in our democracy. Election crimes fall into broad categories: Ballot/voter fraud Campaign finance violations Civil rights violations, such as voter suppression or voter intimidation While individual states and localities have the constitutional authority and responsibility to manage their own elections and election laws, an election crime becomes a federal crime when one or more of the following occurs: A ballot includes one or more Federal candidates Election or polling place officials abuse their office The conduct involves false voter registration The crime is motivated by hostility toward protected minority groups The activity violates federal campaign finance law Examples of Federal election crimes include, but are not limited to: Giving false information when registering to vote Voting more than once Changing ballot markings or otherwise tampering with ballots Vote buying Threatening voters with physical or financial harm Intentionally lying about the time, manner, or place of an election to prevent qualified voters from voting Political fundraising by federal employees Campaign contributions above legal limits Conduit contributions/straw donor schemes Contributions from foreign or other prohibited sources Use of campaign funds for personal or unauthorized purposes Distinguishing between legal and criminal conduct is critical for ensuring the integrity of U.S. elections. The following activities are not federal election crimes: Giving voters rides to the polls or time off to vote Offering voters a stamp to mail a ballot Making false claims about oneself or another candidate Forging or faking nominating petitions Campaigning too close to polling places Honest mistakes by poll workers Lack of immediate election results while ballots are counted The FBI plays an important role in preventing violations of your constitutional rights, including your right to vote. Report any instances of potential election crimes to your local FBI field office, and ask to speak to an election crimes coordinator. Voter Suppression Intentionally deceiving qualified voters to prevent them from voting is voter suppression—and it is a federal crime. There are various methods which can be used to spread disinformation about voting. Such methods are social media platforms, texting, or peer-to-peer messaging applications on smartphones. Additionally, bad actors may provide misleading information about the time, manner and place of voting. This includes inaccurate election dates or false claims about voting methods like, voting by text, which is not allowed in any jurisdiction. Do you know when, where, and how you will vote? If not, there are many reputable places you can find this information, including eac.gov and usa.gov/how-to-vote. However, not all publicly available voting information is accurate, and some is deliberately designed to deceive you in order to suppress turnout. Always consider the source of voting information. Ask yourself, “Can I trust this information?” Look for official notices from election offices and verify the information you found is accurate. Help defend the right to vote by reporting any suspected instances of voter suppression—especially those received through a private communication channel like texting—to your local FBI field office and ask to speak to an election crimes coordinator. Scam PACs Making political contributions can be a powerful way to exercise your First Amendment rights. But some individuals and groups soliciting contributions are bad actors trying to enrich themselves at your expense. In every election cycle there are billions of dollars invested in political spending. This attracts criminals who use deception to cheat Americans out of their hard-earned money. The FBI assesses that seniors are at a high risk of being targeted. Scam PACs are fraudulent political action committees designed to reroute political contributions for personal financial gain. This is a federal crime. Signs that a PAC is a scam include the PAC and its website disappearing, and the phone number going out of service. If you or someone you know has been targeted by a scam PAC, contact your local FBI field office and ask to speak to an election crimes coordinator. How to Protect Your Vote Know when, where, and how you will vote. Seek out election information from trustworthy sources, verify who produced the content, and consider their intent. Report potential election crimes—such as disinformation about the manner, time, or place of voting—to the FBI. If appropriate, make use of in-platform tools offered by social media companies for reporting suspicious posts that appear to be spreading false or inconsistent information about voting and elections. Research individuals and entities to whom you are making political donations. If something seems suspicious, reconsider the donation. Victim Reporting and Additional Information The FBI encourages the public to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI field office. For additional election-related assistance and resources, please visit the following FBI webpages: Election Crimes and Security Protected Voices Source-FBI

FBI Cautions About Threats to Election Workers Ahead of the November 2022 Midterm Elections

Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of American democracy. Individuals who oversee and participate in the administration of elections to include poll workers, volunteers, and election officers, help safeguard the integrity of the democratic process. The FBI continues to prioritize identifying, mitigating, and investigating threats targeting election workers and provides the following information to assist the public in reporting threats of violence against election workers. Threats to Election Workers Threats to election workers not only threaten the safety of the individuals concerned, but also jeopardize the stability of the US electoral process. The FBI defines “election workers” broadly as individuals who have responsibility over one or more aspects of election administration in the U.S., including elected officials, appointed officials, staff, volunteers, contractors, vendors and liaisons. Specific examples of election workers include, but are not limited to: A Secretary of State or someone in their staff An employee of a state or county’s board of elections An individual volunteering at polling stations Clerks handling and counting casted ballots There are various means in which threats can be communicated to election workers, such as telephone communications, social media posts, e-mail communications, as well as in-person. Regardless of the manner in which the threat or harassment is conveyed, the FBI takes all threats of violence targeting election workers seriously. What the FBI is doing

In June 2021, the Department of Justice, in close partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, established the Threats to Election Workers Task Force (Task Force) to identify, mitigate, and investigate reports of threats targeting election workers. The Task Force receives and assesses reports of threats targeting election workers to determine next steps, in consultation with the Department of Justice. Victim Reporting and Additional Information The FBI encourages the public to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI field office. For additional election-related assistance and resources, please visit the following FBI webpages: Election Crimes and Security Protected Voices Consistent with past practice, the FBI is providing this information to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation and suppression in the upcoming Nov. 8, 2022, general election. Source-FBI

Statement of U.S. Attorney Nick Brown regarding voter intimidation or threats

Seattle – U.S. Attorney Nick Brown today issued the following statement as Western Washington voters mark their primary ballots and prepare to use ballot drop boxes throughout the Western District of Washington. “Voter intimidation is a federal crime and any attempt to harass or discourage citizens from voting at our state’s secure election drop boxes will be investigated and prosecuted in federal court, said U.S. Attorney Brown. “We recognize and revere the First Amendment right to free speech and political debate. But there is a time when protected speech turns into acts of intimidation or threats of violence. We will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate threats of violence, hate crimes, and any effort to intimidate voters or those tasked with ensuring free and fair elections in our state.” Under federal law, it is a felony to intimidate or threaten other persons to discourage them from voting or for assisting others in voting. This crime is punishable by up to five years in prison. Federal law also prohibits bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy). Through the primary and general election periods, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will have District Election Officer Seth Wilkinson working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to investigate and respond to any reports of voter intimidation or threats. Assistant United States Attorney Wilkinson can be reached at (206) 553-7970 and ask to leave a message with the Civil Rights complaint hotline. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (206) 622-0460. Source : FBI

Nigerians Should Turn to God for the Choice of Candidates in Elections-Prof Olagoke

For over three and a half years now, Nigerians have contended with  hunger, poverty, unemployment and insecurity. Sadly, government at all levels have done little  to address these hydra like challenges which have not only demoralized the citizenry, but  also prompted them to continually and relentlessly rein curses on the country's political office holders. A cross section of civil society groups  allege that the three tiers of government have deliberately impoverished the populace, as a way of compelling them to sell their votes in the 2019 general elections.
Interestingly,a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar(rtd) has advised Nigerians to stop complaining about their pitiable condition, but vote out leaders who have not met their expectations .  In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says Nigerians should seek God's guidance in the choice of candidates they will vote for. Excerpts :
The insinuation is that the Federal and State Governments have deliberately impoverished Nigerians   for the purpose of ensuring that vote buying is the trend in the 2019 elections. What are your views ?
The history of poverty in Nigeria started in 1960, when our poverty index was 15 per  cent,  followed by the second republic in 1979 to 1983 at 28 per cent. The military interventions worsened the situation as it rose from 42 per cent to 65 per cent.
Then, in 1999, it rose to 70 per cent almost till this moment.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo campaigned against impoverishing the poor masses, because according to him, Nigerians irrespective of their tribes and social class must have access to free education which would eventual liberate  the children of the poor from the clutches of poverty. From his time to that of Bola Ige education took a large chunk to support structure, facilities and books, while having a good plan of allowing children to trek to and from school. One could  imagine the then government was  for all Nigerians, most especially the impoverished masses, whom the government intended to emancipate. Unfortunately, the dedication and commitment of our founding fathers, on the issue of the growth and development of the nation and general welfare of the people suffered a great set back during the civil war as well as the attendant agitations for true reconstruction, reconciliation and rehabilitation which was poorly managed to warrant the present insurgency, militancy, kidnapping and damages to the ecology of the oil producing areas, which were agitating for resource control and the South East's secession call.
 It is unfortunate that this government inherited an already failed and recessed economy, which they were unable to manage at par  with their campaign magic of the change mantra.
The bastardized environment, bad economy and disorganized society now continue to groan under poverty, which had been artificially introduced due to the  era of endemic corruption and institutionalized indiscipline.
Under this condition, the political class,  derailed from the focus of the goal of Democracy as a need to enthrone credible leadership for the purpose of institutionalizing justice and equity concepts in order that there would be peace and sustainable development.
The attendant consequence of gross mismanagement of the economy, the people and the environment, thereafter has resulted in the worrisome situation of insecurity and unbearable poverty tending to the abject level for many.
The 2019 general elections ought to focus on how best we would be able to vote in patriotic  Nigerians with outstanding leadership qualities that would be able to arrest the menace of the present social upheaval, starting from  working on the psyche of all Nigerians for better attitude in an environment  of strict institutional discipline that would only be achieved through leadership by sacrifice, integrity and service.
Nigerians therefore, need to be mindful of God, without emphasis on religion in order that credible candidates, who will have passion for the restoration of our core values and see human rights issues as the ability to provide equal opportunities and equal access to the people of Nigeria, the downtrodden ones inclusive