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2023 Elections: INEC Deploys 707,384 Presiding Officers

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The Independent National Electoral Commission will deploy 707,384 presiding officers for the general elections scheduled to commence on February 25.

The commission also said that since electoral education was important, there was a need to infuse it into the National Values Curriculum of primary schools in Nigeria.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, stated these during the public presentation of the Electoral Education Curriculum and Teachers’ Guide for primary schools.

The curriculum which was developed by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening  – Sustaining Electoral Engagement for Democracy project funded by USAID and FCDO and implemented by National Democratic Institute and IFES, was in partnership with the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council, INEC (through the Voter Education Department), National Orientation Agency, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All and academia from across the country.

Okoye said, “We believe that electoral education is important in the goals of our nation. Electoral education is a specialized area and that is why we have this curriculum being infused into the National Values Curriculum in our primary schools.

“For instance, for the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, the commission will deploy a total of 707, 384 presiding officers and assistant presiding officers.

“These presiding officers will be drawn from the crop of young men and women doing their National Youth Service Corps, while the assistant presiding officers will be drawn from students from federal tertiary institutions.

“It is therefore important for us to understand the importance of electoral education in the development of our democracy.

“A national civic education curriculum and teachers’ guide with a specific focus on electoral education will prepare our children for the challenges ahead and also prepare them on how to respect other people’s races and also prepare them to assume leadership in future.”

The President of IFES, Anthony Banbury, said its contribution to the project was to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process through effective teaching and learning of civic education in primary schools.

“To catch them young, the revised curriculum is a hallmark innovation that will introduce children and youth very early to the concept, processes, ethics, and values of democratic systems and governance.

“It will be essential for the young people’s orientation to initiate a shift from the existing norms. In the long term, it will increase civic participation and knowledge of democratic systems and values, as the children of today become the adults and the voters of tomorrow,” Banbury said.

The Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Ismail Junaidu, said the aim was to strengthen the fabric of the nation’s democracy for sustainable growth and development.

According to him, since the return of democracy in 1999, citizens’ participation in elections and the electoral process had remained an issue of concern.

He also said that a known reason for this was the lack of adequate electoral knowledge.

“Hence, promoting democratic electoral culture and developing civic skills are therefore necessary for well-informed and responsible participation in elections and in the electoral process,” Junaidu said.

He said that the above informed the initiative of the NERDC in collaboration with IFES to develop the Electoral Education Curriculum for primary schools in Nigeria.

According to him, the curriculum, generally, is developed to expose young learners to the rudiments of democracy and inculcate in them the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for active citizens’ participation in the democratic process.

“Specifically, the curriculum is designed to achieve five key objectives, which are to: equip learners with basic knowledge of the concept of democracy, the role of elections in democracy and good governance.

He said the choice of primary school learners was hinged on the core principle of using education as an instrument of socialisation for the young to assume adult roles for the good of society.

“Thus, the teaching of electoral education at this level will ensure that when children reach voting age, they would have already understood the fundamentals of active participation in the political and electoral process,” Junaidu said.

While commending the management of NERDC for the initiative, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, represented by his Senior Technical Assistant, Dr Claris Ujam, said the curriculum had become a dynamic process for sustainable national development.

He said, “Every time, there are changes or developments happening around the world, the school curricula are affected.

“Therefore, the inclusion of concepts and contents of electoral education under Civic Education is in line with the drive under the Ministry’s Education for Change: A Ministerial Strategic Plan.

“This is to enable the acquisition of citizenship values and skills through quality education. The electoral education curricular contents constitute a remarkable step to create positive change in the election landscape and political development.”

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Samsung’s CEO, Han Jong-Hee, Dies at 63

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The co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, Han Jong-Hee, has died of heart attack on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

A spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant confirmed this.

Han, who oversaw Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses became the Chief Executive Officer of South Korea’s biggest company in 2022.

He had joined the tech giant in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before he started to run Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operations.

In a tribute to the deceased, Samsung said Han dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader.

The company said, Han as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, contributed to its growth amid challenging business environment.

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HURIWA Tasks Fagbemi, Onanuga to Prove Fubara’s Alleged Link to Militants

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The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.

Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.

“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.

HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”

The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.

The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”

HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.

“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.

The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown. “The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.

HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”

The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference. “The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.

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Dangote Cement Achieves Higher CDP Ratings for Climate Change & Water Security

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Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 CDP results.

CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions. Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018.

CDP provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores from A to D based on companies’ transparency, governance, and measurable actions towards sustainability.

Following the release of company scores in February, Dangote Cement’s score on water security which was C was upgraded to B. Similarly, the company’s commitment to supporting a climate resilient future was also demonstrated in its climate change score of B in 2024.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak speaking on the new rating said, ‘Dangote Cement leads in Africa as one of few businesses in six states and regions of Africa to disclose through CDP.’ He further stated that ‘the 2024 score is an outcome of ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate climate action and promote sustainability across our business and its value chain’.

The Head, Sustainability, Dangote Cement, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba in her remarks expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who aligned with the Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy overseen by the company’s Board which supported the achievement of an improved rating this year. She stated that ‘this year’s results are evidence that our contribution to create a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced is paying off.’

Affirming the company’s commitment to decarbonisation, Dr Igazeuma stated that ‘Although this year’s score demonstrates our transparency on sustainability, DCP’s goal is to go beyond disclosure and take meaningful action through tangible solutions, innovations, and projects to close the gap between ambition and reality.’

Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 45.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to customer” business with activities in manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement.

The company is on track to meet its decarbonisation targets through energy efficiency measures, adoption of supplementary cement materials, carbon offsets and other sustainable practices.

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