By Isaac Eranga Benin City: Life Boat Initiative for Societal Development (LBI), a nongovernmental organization registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, has emphasized the role of the judiciary in the sustenance of peace before, during and after elections.  Speaking with newsmen after an evaluation  of the 2023 Presidential and National Assemblies Election, the Executive Director of LBI- Mr Osarobo Ogbevoen,  said the judiciary is the final arbiter of the electorates in any electoral process. He said the way the judiciary manages the process determines if there will be peace in the polity. He called on aggrieved political parties and their candidates in the just concluded presidential and national assemblies elections to seek legal redress in registering their grievances. "I want to use this medium to commend leaders of the various political parties and their candidates for embracing peace, and encouraging their faithfuls not to take to violence after the declara...

By Isaac Eranga Benin City: The Transition Monitory Group (TMG) has called on Nigerians to do away with thuggery and all forms of electoral violence, so as to ensure that votes in the coming Governorship and States House of Assemblies elections, count. According to TMG, this will help avert electoral violence capable of brewing crisis in the polity. Speaking at the end of a peace rally held recently in Benin City, the Edo State Coordinators of TMG- Comr. Kingsley Kefe called on all stakeholders in the electoral process, including the electorates, to discourage the spread of fake news capable of misinforming the people, and discourage thuggery, snatching of baliot boxes.   Comr. Kingsley Kefe, said it was quite disturbing that despite the signing of the peace accords by candidates of the political parties competing in the elections, wherein they committed the support that will ensure a peaceful transition, pre-election violence did continue to bedevil the country. He added that...

By Isaac Eranga Middle is Agatha Osieke, Esq., left is Engr. Eugene Okoeguale, and to her right is Comr. Kingsley Kefe Benin City: The Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta (P4P), has called on electoral stakeholders, including voters,  to embrace peace and adhere to the principle of rule of law in order to avert electoral violence capable of undermining the peaceful coexistence of the people. This call was made at a press briefing organized recently in Benin City by the P4P network. Speaking, the National Coordinator of P4P - Chief Pius Akomolafe said P4P through her peace actors in the nine States of the Niger Delta have watched the conflict trend before, during and after the Presidential and National Assemblies elections which took place on the 25th of February, 2023, which is the seventh successive general elections since the return to multyparty democracy in 1999. Chief Akomolafe who was represented by the National Research and Documentation Officer of P4P - Barr. Agatha Osiek...

By Isaac Eranga, PhD - Director of Sports, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council  Bendel Insurance Football Club, also known as the Benin Arsenal, is a football club based in Benin City, Nigeria. The club plays in the Nigeria Professional football league. They were originally known as the Vipers of Benin. They play their home matches at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, which has a capacity of 20,000. Founded in 1972, Bendel Insurance FC has won the Nigeria Premier League twice - 1973, 1979;  won the Nigerian FA Cup twice - 1972, 1978, 1980; won the CAF Cup once - 1994; and the West African Club Championship thrice - 1993, 1994, 1995.  In 2022, Bendel Insurance FC of Benin was  crowned champions of the Nigeria National League following their 2-1 win over Doma United on match-day three of the Super 4 tournament. This brought the Benin Arsenal back to the Apex league- the Premier league. They needed at least a draw in the final match of the tournament to lift the tit...

  By Isaac Eranga With results for both the Presidential and National Assemblies (NASS) anounced, the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding- Nigeria (WANEP-Nigeria) has called on Nigerians to toe the path of peace irrespective of perceived lack of transparency and trust in the system to avoid violence.This call was contained in a Press Statement made available to newsmen by WANEP's Head of Program - Mrs. Patience Ikpeh-Obaulo. The statement had it that despite the signing of two Peace Accords by candidates of the political parties competing in the elections, committing fully to supporting all efforts that will ensure a peaceful transition, pre -electoral violence had continued to bedevil the country. Among its most worrisome manifestations were the attacks on offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which clearly aim to undermine the electoral process itself. In Kano, Enugu and Ebonyi States pre- electoral violence had left 15 reportedly killed by unknown gu...

  By Isaac Eranga As part of effort towards making the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria peaceful, the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)- Nigeria has launched a Virtual Situation Room.  On 25 February 2023, Nigeria will hold presidential and federal parliamentary elections, followed by gubernatorial and state legislative elections on 11 March 2023.  Speaking, the national coordinator of WANEP - Nigeria, Chief Mrs. Bridget Osakwe said there are some reasons for optimism that the upcoming polls will be an improvement on the 2019 elections. According to the Eastern Nigeria Red Cap Chief, "it is true that pockets of violence and several irregularities marred the elections, many observers believe that these problems had not been widespread enough to seriously undermine the outcome of the 2019 elections.  "However, a look at Nigeria’s political history, reveals that the country has witnessed series of electoral violence even after the return to civilian rule in...

By Isaac Eranga Ms Priscilla Usiobaifo, ED- BHI Akoko-Edo: BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI) has commended the Edo judiciary over the conviction of a 55-year-old man - Frederick Agbozuadu who deceitfully lured and severally violated an 8-year-old girl at Egbigere community in Akoko-Edo LGA of Edo State, Nigeria. This commendation was contains in a press statement signed by the Executive Director of BHI- Ms Priscilla Usiobaifo. According to the statement, "the verdict was given on 9th February 2023 by Nosa Musoe - Chief Magistrate (Special Grade) of the Magistrate Court, Igarra, Akoko-Edo LGA, Edo State. After been found guilty on a single count charge of defilement as applicable in the Criminal Code Law of Edo State, Frederick was sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of fine. "This is a well-deserved victory for the girl-child in Akoko-Edo LGA especially considering the intrigues of this particular case. The incident was investigated by the Edo...