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Ihonvbere Makes History, Becomes First Lawmaker to Embrace Digital Democracy

Published

3 years ago

March 9, 2021

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The lawmaker representing Owan Federal Constituency in Edo State, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, has made history as the first lawmaker in Nigeria to practically embrace digital democracy.

The ebullient public servant, who has held various positions both in public and private practice, achieved this feat when he registered with the Rate Your Leader app, a digital democracy app which affords voters the right to interface with their elected representatives.

Ihonvbere’s identification with the app is a clear indication that the lawmaker is open to all forms of democratic process, including giving a listening ear to those he is representing.

“I am happy to here. Now, it will be much more easier to know the heartbeat of my people,” the lawmaker enthused.

Rate Your Leader is a free smartphone app, designed to use smartphone technology, to allow elected officials to interact directly with confirmed voters in the divisions they serve, and to do so in a way which makes insulting communication difficult, and dishonest communication undesirable.

This way politicians and people can use Rate Your Leader to engage person-to-person, and understanding each other’s needs and positions. This way, leaders can find out rapidly what matters most to the people who elect them, and collaborate to address those issues. And voters can even rate their politicians for their transparency and accessibility.

And that in turn builds transparency and trust, which are such scarce commodities in our political process.

A man fit as reference point, Ihonvbere, according to his profile on Wikipedia, “obtained his MA in international affairs and Ph.D. in political science from Carleton University, Ottawa and the University of Toronto respectively. He then proceeded to teach at the University of Ife, Ogun State University and University of Port Harcourt all in Nigeria. He was forced into self-exile in 1990, and returned to the University of Toronto as visiting professor of African politics. In 1991, he moved to the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught African and third-world politics as well as courses on US–Africa relations. In 1997, he joined the Ford Foundation in New York as program officer in the Peace and Social Justice Program and was responsible for the portfolio on “Pluralism and Governance” until 2002, when he voluntarily withdrew his services to return to Nigeria.

“As a student he was sanitary and health prefect at Edo Boys High School, Benin City, and later public relations officer of the University of Ife Students’ Union. His meritorious services earned him several awards, including a life membership of the Students’ Union. When he returned to Ife as a lecturer in international relations he became secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

“At the University of Port Harcourt, he served first as vice-chairman and later as chairman of the Academic Staff Union of universities (ASUU). He also served as head of the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the University of Port Harcourt and president of the Senior Staff Club. He was adviser to the Students’ Union Government of the University of Port Harcourt for several years.

“Ihonvbere once resigned as the secretary to Edo State Government (SSG) after the deeply flawed Edo North APC Senatorial Primaries, but the Edo State government prevailed on him to return as the SSG after state workers and national leaders decried the leadership vacuum created by his sudden exit.”

Featured

Airforce Confirms Nigeria’s Readiness to Acquire 24 Fighter Jets from Italy’s Leonardo

Published

3 hours ago

April 20, 2024

Eric

By Reuters

Nigeria plans to acquire 24 fighter jets from Italy’s Leonardo (LDOF.MI), opens new tab to modernize its fleet and bolster its air force, air force spokesperson Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet said on Friday.

The aircraft will arrive the country in four batches of six jets each, the air force said. Africa’s most populous nation will receive the first six M-346 fighter aircraft before the end of the year, Gabkwet said in a statement.

The news followed a visit by Claudio Sabatino, Leonardo vice president, to Nigeria’s air force chief in Abuja on Wednesday.

Leonardo will provide a minimum of 25 years maintenance support, the air force statement said.

Nigeria is trying to boost its ability to combat insurgency especially in the northeast of the country where Boko Haram militants and the Islamic State regional affiliate is active. Also kidnapping and banditry is rife across the country.

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Stay Away from CBT Centres, JAMB Warns Parents, Threatens Arrest

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

As this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) begins on Friday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has vowed to arrest parents found near any Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre during the 2024 UTME exercise.

The directive was issued at the final briefing of the CBT centre owners, which was held virtually on Wednesday, 17th April, 2024.

The spokesman for JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, said this directive became necessary following the intrusive disposition of some parents during the Board’s previous exercises.

Benjamin, who quoted JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said any parent, who disobeys the order would not only be arrested but his ward would also be disqualified from sitting for the examination.

Oloyede explained that this measure became necessary as it has been discovered over time that many of these intruding parents are facilitators of examination infractions while others have, by their actions, disrupted the Board’s examinations in the past.

He added that some miscreants also disguise as parents to infiltrate the centres to perpetrate all forms of infractions.

“The Board’s helmsman noted that going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years.

“Therefore, it is evident that these parents had not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document, hence the desperation to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.

“At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned as they had obviously ‘smuggled’ underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit the examination,” the Board note through a statement.

Furthermore, the Registrar said all arrangements have been concluded for the conduct of the 2024 UTME, which will be held in over 700 CBT centres across the nation.

He disclosed that the Board expects a seamless exercise but it has nevertheless made adequate provision to tackle any technical glitch that might occur in the course of the examination.

He, however, warned that if a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled while the candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session for the day or the following day or even further depending on the centre schedules.

Featured

Oyo Govt Demolishes Operational Base of Yoruba Nation Agitators

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Oyo State government, on Wednesday, demolished a building serving as the operational base of the Yoruba Nation agitators led by Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, in Ibadan.

Onitiri-Abiola, one of the widows of late Bashorun M.KO Abiola, had declared the creation of the so-called Yoruba Nation in a video posted online, which has been widely condemned.

Last Saturday, some armed men in military uniforms invaded the Oyo State Secretariat, with the motive to forcefully take over the State House of Assembly, before they were dislodged by the combined efforts of police and troops for the Nigeria Army 2 Division..

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, confirmed the demolition of the house located at Toye Oyesola Street in Ibadan South West Local Government Area.

Already, no fewer than 29 suspects – including a lecturer – arrested in connection with the foiled armed invasion were on Wednesday arraigned by the police before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.

In a case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 between the Commissioner of Police and the 29 suspects, they were accused of a seven-count charge of treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearms, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

Inspector Bakare Rasaq, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, said the offence contravenes, and is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.