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Two former Guinea-Bissau prime ministers on Wednesday advanced to next month’s presidential run-off, the electoral commission said, with incumbent Jose Vaz finishing a distant fourth after a tenure marked by infighting and corruption scandals.
Domingos Simoes Pereira finished first with 40 per cent and Umaro Cissoko Embalo came second with 28 per cent in the Nov. 24 first-round poll, Commission President Jose Sambu said.
They will face off in a second round on Dec. 29.
Vaz, who has governed the tiny West African country since 2014, only received 12 per cent of the vote.
He has regularly feuded with the majority party in parliament and cycled through seven different prime ministers.
Critics say Vaz, 61, failed to control corruption or stem the flow of drugs through the cashew-producing country on their way from South America to Europe.
Pereira, 56, was Vaz’s first prime minister before being sacked in 2015.
He campaigned as a moderniser whose promise to bolster health and education made him popular with younger voters in Bissau.
Embalo, 47, also served as prime minister under Vaz from 2016-18.
(Edited & Vetted By: Fatima Sule/Emmanuel Yashim)
(NAN)
The Head of the AU Observation Mission, Joaquim Branco, on Monday said Sunday’s Guinea-Bissau presidential election was a “festival of transparency.”
He added that the voting process showed “transparency.”
“All the delegates of the candidates, the observers, the national and international press followed the process until the end,” Branco added.
The National Election Commission, which is expected to announce the official provisional results on Wednesday, said the presidential election was going calm.
More than 200 observers from the AU, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, and the Economic Community of West African States, as well as 422 observers from civil society, are following the process of the voting very closely.
If no one receives more than 50 per cent of the votes in the first round, a run-off is scheduled for Dec. 29.
Edited & Vetted By: Fatima Sule/Ali Baba-Inuwa
(NAN)
The ECOWAS Parliament and Commission on Wednesday raised concerns over the security challenges in the region.
It called for collective efforts to restore stability in the region, especially the political crisis in Guinea Bissau.
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Moustapha Cisse-Lo, said this at the Second Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament held in Abuja.
He said that it was important to act collectively as a region to eradicate spiral violence and recurrent attacks.
“The recurrent terrorist attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, where they have become more deadly, remind us of the critical need to respond appropriately to this threat.
“Terrorism and insecurity have assumed unprecedented proportions in our region, they constitute a major challenge that needs to be absolutely addressed.
“Inasmuch as we all agree that without peace and security, sustainable development is unachievable, indeed, there is a close link between security, stability, democracy, peace and development, which are all necessary and interwoven. It is necessary for us to act now and vigorously to eradicate this spiral of violence.
“In this regard, the involvement of our States and the pooling of our forces and resources seem to me very important, failing which the fight against terrorism will remain ineffective.
“We all paid particular attention to the events in Guinea-Bissau, which disrupted the political situation in the country in the run-up to the presidential election.
“It should also be noted that ECOWAS has planned to send observers, including a parliamentary delegation, to observe the presidential election, I have already given the necessary instructions to that effect.
“I want to stress that we place a great deal of hope in this presidential election, which is expected to enable Guinea Bissau to find a lasting solution to the political crisis it has been facing for many years.”
He said the forthcoming election would usher the people of Guinea-Bissau into a new era of peace and prosperity as well as contribute to political stability at regional level.
Mrs Halima Ahmed, speaking for the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Brou, said that the attacks in the region constitute a threat to stability and integration agenda.
“It is important to highlight that our region is facing some political challenges, especially in Guinea Bissau, which will be organising Presidential election in the next few days.
“The region continues to be confronted with sporadic attacks by terrorists and armed groups, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger which calls for us to redouble our collective efforts, solidarity and cohesion.”
Nigeria News Agency reports that the presidential election of Guinea Bissau will be held on Nov. 24.
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz (NAN)
Nigeria has urged member states of the Gulf of Guinea Commission to work closely and come up with measures to combat the insecurity in the region.
Nigeria also urged the member states to show commitment to their financial obligation toward the commission.
Amb. Zubairu Dada, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the 11th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC).
Dada said that the collective quest to address the security challenges in the region required member countries to endeavour to put in place measures to check the violation of domestic and international treaties in the region.
“Nigeria’s resolve to address the security problems in the region led to the recent signing into law of the Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences Act by the Country, which gives a comprehensive framework to tackling the issue of piracy and other maritime crimes on Nigerian waters.
“I commend efforts of member states of the Gulf of Guinea Commission who through strengthening the capacities and capabilities of their Navy and other institutions are fighting the insecurity in the region.
“On our part, Nigeria will continue to intensify efforts, in collaboration with relevant countries, partners, and institutions within the sub-region to address the current security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea.
“This 11th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Gulf of Guinea Commission once again provides an opportunity for all of us, the member states to redouble our efforts to revitalise the orgnisation as approved by the 4th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States, to enable the GGC achieve its mandates,” Dada said.
He recalled that in Nov. 2017, while taking the mantle of leadership of the organisation, Nigeria called for renewed commitments on the part of member states to make the Gulf of Guinea Region a zone of peace and security.
He added that Nigeria also tasked member countries on sustainable development for the benefit of individual countries, the people, and stakeholders in the region.
The minister of state, however, noted that the GGC was faced with challenges, which have threatened its smooth operations.
He said that the challenges could be traced to lack of member states’ commitment to holding regular meetings.
He said that another challenge could be traced to the continued unwillingness of the majority of the states to pay their annual statutory contributions to enable the organisation to finance its numerous activities.
Dada said that the commission was in a dire financial situation and that unless urgent action was taken in the meeting to address the concerns, the situation might put the smooth functioning of the organisation at greater risk.
Also speaking, Amb. Florentina Ukonga, Executive Secretary, Gulf of Guinea Commission said that the experts had worked very hard to come up with recommendations to encourage participation of member states is GGC’s activities.
Ukonga said that the recommendations included timely contribution and liquidation of arrears of contributions and appropriate participation in GGC’s activities to enable the organisation to achieve its objectives.
She said that the Gulf of Guinea Region also needed to take full control of the security apparatuses that would ensure security in its maritime domain.
“Assistance from outside the region is good and desirable but this should not be substituted for our own action to be at the vanguard of solving our problems.
“Our institutions must function with or without assistance from our partners. Wwe must be fully committed to the principles of helping ourselves first before calling on others to help us.
“This is the only way our institutions an grow and solve the problems they were established to solve.
“We must never forget that our interest as States in the region are not necessarily the interest of other stakeholders operating in the region”, Ukonga said.
Nigeria News Agency reports that the Gulf of Guinea Commission was established in 2001 with set objectives which includes combating maritime crimes- piracy, sea robbery, illegal bunkering.
The commission also aims to combat environmental pollution, drugs and arms trafficking, as well as illegal unreported and unregulated fishing.
Member countries of the Gulf of Guinea Commission includes: Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Brazzaville.
(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim (NAN))
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, hosted the Special Envoy of the President of Equatorial Guinea, Nguema Mbasogo, at the State House, Abuja.
This was contained in a statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, in Abuja.
The statement said the Special Envoy and Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Gabriel Lima, had brought a message from his president on the forthcoming meeting of Heads of State of gas-exporting nations, which Equatorial Guinea would be hosting.
Receiving the envoy, Buhari declared that if Nigeria had followed her own programme for exploiting its gas reserves, the country would have been earning more money from the product than from petroleum now.
He said: “We share a lot of things in common with Equatorial Guinea. These include geographical neighbourliness and neighbourliness in terms of resources.
“Nigeria is more of a gas producing, rather than oil producing country. That fact had long been established.
“If we had followed our own plans, laid out in the 1970s, for the gas sector, we should have had 12 trains by early 1980s, instead of being on just six trains now,” the president said.
The special envoy thanked Nigeria for the support given to Equatorial Guinea to host the first summit of gas exporting countries in the world, taking place on African soil.
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
Mr Tony Alonwu, Chairman for the Expert Meeting of the Gulf of Guinea Council of Ministers has urged Member States to redeem their financial commitments to effectively combat issues facing the region.
Alonwu made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the Meeting of Experts ahead of the 11th Session of the Council of Ministers of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) holding on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to Alonwu, the financial constraints of the GGC and low level of cooperation amongst Members States were major reasons limiting the Commission from achieving its mandates.
Nigeria News Agency reports that the Gulf of Guinea Commission was established in 2001 with set objectives which includes combating maritime crimes- piracy, sea robbery, illegal bunkering.
The commission also aims to combat environmental pollution, drugs and arms trafficking, as well as illegal unreported and unregulated fishing.
Alonwu stressed the importance for Member States to Cooperate and meet their financial obligations to organization by paying the annual contributions and dues as at when due.
“For us to achieve our collective objectives, and address frontally the present security challenges at the waters of the Gulf of Guinea, there is greater need for Member States to cooperate.
“And be more committed inn honouring their financial obligations to the organization ,through payment, as at when dues, their annual statutory contribution; and attending structured meetings.
“Where decisions on the way forward of the organization are usually taken. It is only Member States of the Gulf of Guinea Commission that can build the organization into a strong
“The current situation where the secretariat is unable to finance its activities due to nonpayment of assessed contributions by majority of member states constitutes a threat to smooth functioning of the Commission”, Alonwu said.
Alonwu said that in Nov. 2017, when Nigeria successfully hosted the 4th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments, one of the major outcome of the summit was a “Revitalization Strategy”.
He explained that the Revitalization Strategy of the Gulf of Guinea Commission was aimed at transforming the orgnaisation into an effective mechanism for strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
He added that the Revitalization Strategy also seeks to build confidence among Member States to ensure peace, security and development in the region.
“With its five established committees on Peace and Security, Committee on Circulation and Movement of Persons and Goods, Committee on Oil and Environment, Fishing and Committee on Finance.
“The Revitalization Strategy, if implemented has the potential of reviving the GG to make the organization achieve its set objectives it was established in 2001.
Alonwu urged participants of the expert meetings to make meaningful contributions, explaining that the meeting was crucial as it outcome of discussions would set the tone for the Council of Ministers Meeting.
Speaking earlier, Amb. Florentina Ukonga, Executive Secretary of the Commission said that the Expert Meeting aims to generate ideas for necessary recommendations to the Council of Ministers.
Ukonga said that the meeting would avail members of the Commission and the Ministers to review the activities of the GGC as approved by the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments of Nov. 23, 2017.
She explained that criminal activities, underdevelopment and insecurity were yet to completely eliminated from Member Countries of the Gulf of Guinea.
“I hope that this meeting will generate ideas and discussions for necessary recommendations to the Council of Ministers to give full support to the activities of the GGC by funding.
“Participating in its activities at appropriate levels, defending its interest and being its advocate in all fora to enable the organization achieve its objectives.
“The agenda is short but it contains items that call for frank discussions on the way forward for the GGC and I sincerely hope that this Council of Ministers Meeting will be the catalyst that the GGC needs.
“To catapult it into higher levels of functioning, funding, operation and relevance.
“The reasons that led to the establishment of the GGC remain valid. Criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea region, which GGC is expected to focus on and encourage regional solutions are yet to be completely eliminated.
“Threats to the region’s development, to population’s well-being and effective collaboration to ensure a safe and secure environment in which business can grow, though reducing, still exist in the region.
“Our states are expected to lead the fight against all these criminal activities and not leave the initiative of the battle to other stakeholders outside the region.
“Our interest and their interest are not necessarily the same”, Ukonga said.
Ukonga pledged the commitments of the executive secretariat to ensure the GGC achieve the objectives it was created for and transform the Gulf of Guinea Region into a peaceful and secured zone.
NAN reports that Member Countries of the Gulf of Guinea Commission includes: Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Brazzaville.
edited by Sadiya hamza
At least three people were killed in renewed anti-government protests in Guinea, an opposition party said on Friday.
The deaths occurred as opposition supporters marched on Thursday against President Alpha Conde’s plans to amend the constitution to run for a third term, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC) said in a statement.
Opposition leaders say security forces have killed at least 17 people since mid-October.
Human rights group Amnesty International places the death toll of those killed in various anti-government protests since 2015 at about 70.
Moreover, hundreds of people, including small children, have been injured by members of the security forces using live ammunition, batons and tear gas canisters, according to Amnesty.
Conde is due to step down in 2020, at the end of his second five-year presidential term, but has indicated plans to amend the constitution to allow him to run for re-election.
The 81-year-old came to power in 2010, and was re-elected in 2015, promising to strengthen democracy and fight corruption in the country of roughly 13 million people.
But he and his son have since then been implicated in numerous corruption scandals, largely linked to the mining industry, and has been suspected of election rigging.
Guinea is rich in bauxite, iron ore and diamonds but also mines gold, nickel and uranium.
Edited by Fatima Sule/Felix Ajide
At least 70 people have been killed in Guinea during protests ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Amnesty International said on Wednesday.
The deaths have occurred since 2015, during various demonstrations against President Alpha Conde’s plans to amend the constitution to run for a third term, the human rights organisation said in a statement.
In addition, more than 100 protesters have died in custody within the same period, according to Amnesty.
The small West African nation is witnessing mounting human rights violations, including the killing of protesters, bans on peaceful assemblies and attacks on dissenting voices as well as journalists.
“Nine protestors were killed in September alone during demonstrations against a potential revision of the constitution.
“Leaders of pro-democracy movements and scores of protestors were arrested,’’ said Amnesty West and Central Africa Director, Marie-Evelyne Barry.
While Amnesty could not confirm the circumstances of all 70 deaths, testimonies from medical staff, witnesses and the type of ammunition used indicated that, at least, 59 of them appear to have been killed by the police and gendarmerie.
The victims include a seven-year-old child who, according to medical sources, was hit by a stray bullet in October 2015.
Moreover, hundreds of people, including small children, have been injured by members of the security forces, using live ammunition, batons and tear gas canisters, Amnesty said.
Edited by Fatima Sule/Abdulfatah Babatunde
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, has said that the Nigerian Navy partnership with its allies in the sub-region was to ensure the safety of the Gulf of Guinea.
Ibas stated this at the opening of the 2019 Nigerian Navy Transformation Workshop for Senior Officers on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of the workshop was “Performance Thinking, Leadership and Communication Organisational Agility.’’
Ibas, who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Adm. Begroy Ibe-Enwo, noted that the peace and security of the nation’s maritime domain remain important.
He said this was to ensure that the maritime domain serves as the main artery to the nation’s economic prosperity and national development.
“The Nigerian Navy in partnership with our allies in the sub-region and beyond must go over and beyond the call of duty towards ensuring the safety of the Gulf of Guinea.
“Prior to now, the Malacca strait was reported as the hotbed of piracy globally. However, the Gulf of Guinea is now being reported as the epicenter of the piracy,’’ he said.
The CNS said the International Maritime Bureau reported 72 attacks in 2018 on vessels at sea from Ivory Coast to Cameroon.
“With increased patrols and concerted efforts of the Nigerian navy and other regional navies, only about 30 attacks, most of them unsuccessful have been reported this year (2019).
“Nevertheless, more still needs to be done to totally rid the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) of this menace,’’ he said.
Ibas described the Gulf of Guinea as important to the economic development of the nations that make up the Guinea Commission and the entire West Africa sub-region.
He said the Nigerian navy would continue to develop the capacity of its personnel towards confronting challenging threats, “both existing and emerging.’’
“These threats are in direct confrontation to our roles as guardians of the maritime domain wherein it is our enshrined constitutional duty to ensure peace and security of the entirety of the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) territorial and Brown Waters,’’ he said.
Ibas said the continuous changing nature of warfare and the need to be ahead of the curve necessitated the change from the trident strategy to a more expansive “Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy’’.
“The import of this strategic change and the mileage that we have been able to leverage from the new maritime strategy is not lost on the audience, as it has afforded the Nigerian Navy the ability to combat not only conventional threats, but asymmetric threats.’’
/IS
Edited Johnson Eyiangho/Ismail Abdulaziz
Five opposition and civil society leaders in Guinea were sentenced to prison for organising protests against a possible change to the constitution that could let President Alpha Conde seek a third term.
Abdourahmane Sanoh, a former government minister and an organiser of the demonstrations last week, which resulted in at least nine deaths, received a one-year jail term for inciting civil disobedience, the judge in the case said.
Four other members of the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), a coalition of politicians and activists opposed to a constitutional change, received six-month sentences each.
Three others were acquitted.
Both the defence and the prosecution, which had been seeking five-year sentences, said they planned to appeal.
The defendants were arrested in the days leading up to the protests.
“Everything has been done to silence our clients for a long time because it has been decided they will be obstacles to (Conde’s) plan to seek a third term,” Mohamed Traore, one of the lawyers, said after the verdict was read.
The 81-year-old Conde, whose second and final five-year term expires 2020, has refused to rule out running again and asked his government in September to look into drafting a new constitution.
His opponents fear that could be used as a reset button on his presidency, allowing him to run again like other African leaders, who have amended or changed constitutions in recent years to stay in power.
During last week’s protests in the capital Conakry and several opposition strongholds in the north, police opened fire on demonstrators as they ransacked military posts and blocked roads with burning tyres.
Conde’s first election win in 2010 raised hopes for democratic progress in Guinea after two years of military rule and nearly a quarter a century under authoritarian President Lansana Conte, who died in 2008.
But his critics accuse him of cracking down on dissent and violently repressing protests – charges he denies.
FAT/MST
Edited by Fatima Sule/Muhammad Suleiman Tola
