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Voters in Abia State are currently casting their ballots in today’s local government elections to elect chairpersons for the state’s 17 Local Government Areas and 184 councillorship positions.

DAILY GAZETTE correspondent monitoring the exercise reports that there is a high voter turnout at the polling units visited.

The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) held a stakeholders’ meeting on September 21, where representatives from 18 political parties discussed the electoral process.

DAILY GAZETTE recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had on September, announced its withdrawal from the elections.

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The Abia State Government imposed a restriction on movement starting at midnight on Friday, which will last until 4:00 PM today.

Okey Kanu, the state’s commissioner for Information, emphasized that only those engaged in essential services would be allowed to move freely, provided they present valid identification.

ABSIEC officials have urged voters to maintain peace and order during the voting period.

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Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Solid Minerals, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to immediately cease the “wicked prosecution” of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests and return them to their parents and guardians.

Ezekwesili, an Economic and Public Policy Expert and Senior Economic Adviser to the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative, also demanded compensation for the minors who have been detained for several months. She warned President Tinubu that “no ruler has ever won against their people.”

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Reacting to the arraignment of minors who have been held for about three months for exercising their constitutional right to protest, she described Nigerian leaders as cruel.

“When those children came out to protest, asking you to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, they were telling you the ‘Truth and nothing but the Truth,’” she stated, emphasizing that denial of problems cannot lead to their resolution.

In a message directed at President Tinubu on her X handle, she remarked, “Here is the sordid evidence of the @NigeriaGov punishing your citizens for daring to tell you the truth of #BadGovernance by your administration. No one can ever solve a Problem they deny and refuse to own. No one.”

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Ezekwesili questioned the government’s legal approach, asking how many citizens it could possibly detain.

“How many of your Citizens can you detain and deprive of their freedoms like done to these minors? Hear me. No ruler has ever won against their people forever. Check history. Note that I wrote ruler and not leader.”

She criticized Nigerian politicians, stating, “The repressive class of politicians in Nigeria are not leaders. You all have serially failed the ‘test of leadership’ because you act as wicked rulers who feel entitled to the ‘publicly-funded luxurious life’ while repressing and pauperizing the citizens.”

Ezekwesili further noted, “The evident corrupted capture of our Judiciary by the @NigeriaGov is playing out daily on Candid Camera before the eyes of the world. The trial of these minors is one of many examples these days. Stop the wicked prosecution of these minors immediately and send the children back to their parents and guardians.”

She also insisted on compensating the minors for the “physical, mental, emotional and overall psychological damage” they suffered due to the state’s abuse of power and violation of their constitutional rights.

“I hope you start listening to what the majority of your Citizens, especially these children, are telling you daily: ‘Ebi npawa’, ‘we are hungry.’ Nothing lasts forever. Today is not Forever,” she concluded.

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In preparation for tomorrow’s local government elections on Saturday, the Abia State Government has announced a ban on the movement of people and vehicles.

The restrictions will take effect at midnight on Friday and remain in place until 4 PM on Saturday.

Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information, communicated the directive.

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Under this order, only individuals engaged in essential services will be permitted to move around, provided they can present valid identification cards.

The government has urged all residents, including those operating markets, motor parks, and other business establishments, to comply with the movement ban.

It warned that security personnel are ready to enforce the order, and any violators will face consequences.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has launched a fierce critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding the arrest and treatment of 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters.

Atiku condemned the federal government’s actions, stating that even underage children have not been spared from what he describes as Tinubu’s “wickedness,” referring to the president as “T Pain.”

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A particularly troubling incident occurred when a minor collapsed in the courtroom during proceedings, a situation that critics attribute to malnourishment and inadequate medical care.

In a statement shared on his X platform (formerly Twitter), Atiku expressed his outrage: “A disturbing video of malnourished children being arraigned before a Federal High Court on the orders of the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has come to my attention. The horrible scene, reminiscent of a Nazi concentration camp, once again reflects the low value this government places on the lives of the vulnerable, especially children.”

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He underscored the importance of safeguarding children’s rights, citing Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act, which guarantees the dignity of every child.

He stated, “Every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, no child shall be subjected to physical, mental, or emotional injury, abuse, neglect, or maltreatment, including sexual abuse; nor shall any child be subjected to torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.”

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Atiku criticized the delay in the arraignment of the children, remarking, “The children are being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests that occurred between August 1 and August 10, 2024. If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the dehumanizing conditions they have endured during their detention.”

He expressed disappointment that a leader who once championed Nigeria’s democracy is now persecuting those who peacefully protest against the consequences of his harsh policies.

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“Children, who are among the most affected by these policies, have every right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act. A nation can be assessed by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is saddening that even underage children are not spared from the wickedness of T Pain,”

“The disturbing conditions under which the accused children were brought to court only reinforce the justification for their participation in the protests in the first place.” he concluded