Tag Archives: David Cameron

Group Urges Nigeria To Learn From UK Election

Posted on by
Reply

A pressure group, the Informed Youth Political Forum (IYPF) has called on Nigeria to learn some lessons from the last general elections in the United Kingdom.

National Coordinator of IYPF, Mr. Tokunbo Olateru Olagbegi, who made the call yesterday while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, stated that one good lesson from the election was the power of the people to choose their leaders.

Olagbegi, who was an international observer during the UK elections, said another lesson to be learnt was to conduct credible elections.

He said, ‘’Credible election, from what i observed in the UK, is not necessarily gotten from the electoral commission, but rather from the people. As a people, we should conduct ourselves in orderly manner to ensure credible, free and fair elections.’’

Olagbegi stated that on election day in the UK, he observed that there were no security at the polling stations as people came and cast their ballots and went home.

The IYPF coordinator said, ‘’What i observed was very simple and basic. The power of a credible election is in the people. In the UK , they trust that the people will do the right thing. Go to your polling station, identify yourself and go about your normal business.’’

He stated that the UK process can be done in Nigeria through civic education for the people and politicians to do the right thing, adding that in the UK polls, politicians did not use do or die approach in the conduct of the elections and that the will of the people prevailed throughout the election.

The coordinator said that Nigeria should use civic education approach to prepare for the 2019 election and ensure that the will of the people prevailed at all times.

Olagbegi, who disclosed that in the UK, they used the biro and paper to choose their candidates and still produced credible elections, said sincere and painstaking civic education could be applied in Nigeria to ensure that the people’s votes counted on election day.

He said, ‘’Nigerians hold the key to a successful election and it is possible to achieve this. As a people, Nigerians can learn some lessons from the UK elections. I think that slowly and surely, we will get there and Nigerians have the key to this success through civic education.’’

Pastor Adeboye Prays For David Cameron Ahead Of UK’s General Election (SEE PHOTOS)

Posted on by
1

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Pastor E.A Adeboye, prayed for UK Prime Minister, David Cameron and the congregation at the ‘Festival of Life’ programme holding in London.

Cameron will lead the Conservative Party to participate in the UK general election holding on 7th May 2015, to elect the 56th Parliament of the United Kingdom. Pastor Adeboye shared some of the pictures on his verified Facebook page, Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

1 2 3 4 5

Credit: vanguardngr

British PM “Warmly” Congratulates Buhari

Posted on by
1

United Kingdom Prime Minister, David Cameron, applauded the election of Muhammadu Buhari as the next President of Nigeria.

This follows the former military leader’s ascendancy to the highest office in the country after a close contest against incumbent Goodluck Jonathan. “I send my warmest congratulations to General Buhari on being elected as Nigeria’s next President. This election has been a credit to the Nigerian people and a truly historic moment for Nigerian democracy,” said Cameron.

He said the United Kingdom remained a steadfast partner for Nigeria as it realises its potential as Africa’s economic powerhouse and works to tackle terrorism in the region. Tackling the Boko Haram scourge will top Buhari’s priorities as he assumes office on May 29.

Credit: CAJ News

British Prime Minister Writes Letter To Jonathan Concerning Elections

Posted on by
Reply

David Cameron  has written to President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that Nigerian elections go ahead this weekend, warning that failure to do so ‘would risk national security and stability, and adversely affect Nigeria’s international reputation’.

In a letter to President Jonathan, the Prime Minister underlines the importance of the elections for the African continent and points out the pivotal role for the President.

In a statement made available to Vanguard saying, “As Africa’s biggest democracy, successful elections in Nigeria are important not only for Nigeria’s future, but as a signal to the rest of Africa.  Delivering a credible process will be a lasting credit to you as President and to Nigeria as a nation.

The Prime Minister emphasises the vital role of the Independent National Electoral Commission and its head Professor Jega, writing:

“I am encouraged by INEC’s advances in recent weeks.  The collection of over 80 per cent of Permanent Voter Cards and the broadly successful field tests of the card readers have improved their technical preparation for the election. Your support for Professor Jega’s continuing tenure and guidance of the process remains an important part of delivering successful elections.”

He also calls for a transparent process without violence, saying ‘With hundreds of lives lost after the last election, the eyes of the international community will be focused on Nigeria.’

The Prime Minister also said he was encouraged that Nigeria, alongside its neighbours, was tackling threat posed by Boko Haram – congratulating President Jonathan on the recent advances made by Nigerian troops. And he confirmed the UK’s commitment to support Nigeria in this effort with £5 million of UK support to the Multinational Joint Task Force to tackle Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin area. The UK is also working towards the swift adoption of a Security Council resolution in New York to welcome the force and send an important message of international political support for the force.

Read More: vanguardngr

David Cameron to Hold Emergency Ebola Talks

Posted on by
1

Prime Minister David Cameron will hold an emergency Cobra committee meeting Wednesday on how to coordinate the country’s response to the Ebola outbreak after Britain pledged troops to help combat the virus in West Africa.

Dozens of British military personnel are due to fly to Sierra Leone next week to help build medical facilities to tackle the epidemic, the Ministry of Defence said Tuesday.

The Department of Health said there were no plans to introduce entry screening in Britain for Ebola, after the United States said it planned to increase checks at airports.

In a statement, the prime minister’s office said Cameron had spoken to President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone to discuss the situation.

“The president said the situation continued to be very serious and they were increasing their response, with a need to train more medical staff, have a better system for servicing treatment centres and improve the burial process,” the statement said.

“The prime minister said the UK would continue to do all it could to support their efforts.”

Around 100 British troops are expected to travel to Sierra Leone to provide assistance, including building a 12-bed treatment unit.

“The Ebola virus represents a global threat to public health and we will not stand idly by,” Britain’s minister for the armed forces Mark Francois said as he visited troops preparing for their mission at a training facility at Strensall barracks, York.

There are already about 40 military personnel in Sierra Leone.

Britain has pledged to provide infrastructure for 700 beds and training for medical staff.

British PM Cameron Arrives in Afghanistan to Meet Unity Government

Posted on by
20

British Prime Minister David Cameron made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Friday to meet with the new unity government, the first major Western leader to visit since an election crisis was resolved, easing threats of armed conflict.

Cameron’s visit comes four days after new President Ashraf Ghani was sworn into office after months of political turmoil following a disputed election.

Cameron said he was looking forward to working in future with Ghani and with new Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.

“We all share a common goal, which is a more secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan,” Cameron told a news conference with Ghani.

“We want an Afghanistan that is no longer a safe haven for terrorists or a threat to the security of either of our countries, and today we’ve discussed how together we can achieve those goals,” he said.

David Cameron Reacts to ISIL’s Threat.

Posted on by
1

After the release of a gruesome video, showing another American beheaded by ISIL terrorist on Tuesday; the group also threatened to kill, David Haines, a British Captive.

sotloff5_3024869i

Reacting to their threat, British Premier, David Cameron said, the ISIL Takfiri militants pose a threat to the British people, adding that,

“As I have said consistently over the last few weeks, ISIL terrorists speak for no religion. They threaten Syrians, Iraqis, Americans and British people alike and make no distinction between Muslims, Christians or any other faith…”

Last month, a footage showing the decapitation of US journalist James Foley by ISIL was released in retaliation to US airstrikes against the Takfiri group in Iraq. The video also warned that the group would slay Steven Sotloff, who was being held hostage by the militants, if the US president did not halt the airstrikes.

ISIL has executed Sotloff and posted the video displaying his beheading on the internet, the SITE Intelligence Group, a research organization that tracks terrorist web postings, said on Tuesday.

“If verified, this is a despicable and barbaric murder,” Cameron said, adding that he would hold a Cobra emergency meeting on Wednesday to “review these latest developments.”

The British Premier also added that the Bristsh government would do all it could to protect its people from the ISIL terrorists.

UK envoy: No final decision on visa bond for Nigerians

Posted on by
1

The British High Commissioner in Nigeria has thrown more light on the controversial 3000 pounds bond being proposed as a condition for the granting of visitor visas to Nigerians, saying no final decision has been taken yet on the issue.

High Commissioner Andrew Pocock, in a statement after a meeting in Abuja today with Nigeria’s foreign minister, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru said “the details of a pilot scheme are still being worked out. No final decision has been made”.

Pocock added that what the the British Government has in the pipeline is ” a very small scale trial of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system, which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms”.

“If the pilot were to go ahead in Nigeria it would affect only a very small number of the highest risk visitors. The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa,”, he said.

According to the high commissioner, over 180,000 Nigerians apply to visit the UK each year.

” About 70% or around 125,000, of those applicants are successful. Travel between our two countries is a key part of our strong cultural and business relationship. Financial bonds would be focussed on only a tiny minority of potential abusers. It would NOT be a “£3000 visa charge” as some media reporting has alleged.”

Pocock promised Ambassador Ashiru to furnish the Nigerian government “more details of the policy”, when decided “in the spirit of our long standing friendship, and our wish to help bona fide Nigerian visitors to work, study or do business in the United Kingdom.”

The statement was signed by Rob Fitzpatrick, Head of Press and Public Affairs Section of the British High Commission in Abuja.

Earlier reports by the UK’s Sunday Times said the visa bond will come on stream from November this year and will affect ‘high risk’ visa applicants from Nigeria, India and Ghana, Pakistan, Bangladesh and sri Lanka.

Visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over £3,000 ($4,600, 3,500 euros) from November for a six-month visit visa.

They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa has expired.

Ambassador Ashiru at the meeting with Pocock blasted the visa policy as “discriminatory”.

The minister described the policy “as not only discriminatory but also capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family.”

Ashiru told the British diplomat that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, “has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who may be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced,” the statement said.

Source: PM News