Ojiri, strong factor in Imo Guber race -----Chris Nwokeji

Prince Chris Nwokeji, a native of Akuma, Oru East Local Government of Imo State, spoke strongly of the exigency of voting technocrat who has good knowledge of economics, finance and management, with practical experience, not just a politician. He said Imo has had a very bad leadership experience in the last eight years and canvasses for a candidate who can take the state out of the woods. He believes that the candidate is Mr. Ken Ojiri, the Accord Party standard bearer in the forthcoming Imo governorship election, he spoke to Emeka Ibemere.

What is your expectation in 2015 General Elections in Imo State?

My expectation i

s a team that will deliver the good, a team that can turn around our economy from top to toe. From available facts, Rochas government has taken the state backwards and destroyed our economy and cherished institutions, especially the traditional institution, public service, health and education. The style of governance in Imo State is not known in the history of governance all over the world.

For instance, I gathered that Imo State University which rated high before his administration now rates as poorly as 100^thplus in the country. The state which its WAEC performance has always been between 1^st and 5^th now performs as poorly as 30^th among the 36 states and Abuja.

The healthcare delivery service has nosedived; the only functional health institution in the state is the Federal Medical Centre Owerri. The Imo State University Teaching Hospital Orlu is now a glorified health centre, severely under staffed, without funds and even modest facilitiesto run it. Equipments installed at its inception are not maintained and therefore cannot meet its purposes. Yet Okorocha is busy building block structure and pretends to be needs of the teaching hospital, and does not see the need to fund it.

Okorocha ignored functional general hospitals in various locations in the state and rather began building 27 new ones, mere block works that may remain as such. Both primary and tertiary healthcareprogrammes are completely absent as he has abandoned them and diverted funds to building blocks.

What do you think marks out the right candidate for Imo governorship?

I am looking out for a candidate with the right background, right exposure, right experience, right education and right demeanor- a governor that will understand 21^st century economic dynamics, someone who can grasp with new trends in politics and the economy, a governor who will restructure the civil service and take it to enviable heights.

I am on the lookoutfor a candidate that can turn the dwindled economy of Imo round, a team player, a governor that can understand that government is for the interest of the governed, a governor who can pull things to generate jobs for our teemingunemployed youths. That is my kind of candidate and Mr. Ken Ojiriaptly meets this description.

Why do you think Ken Ojiri fits properly in the mould you described?

As a matter of fact, Ojiri is the only person running for the governorship of Imo State that has properly prepared himself ahead of the task. From good family background, education experience, exposure and all that, you can see he is marked out to deliver better than the rest. His academic credentials are intimidating and he has an international exposure that can be harnessed to better our state. His practical experience and knowledge of economic management and finance constitute a viable advantage. Indeed, Ojiri is a strong factor in Imo Governorship. He is a factor

What makes you think Ken Ojiri can win Imo Governorship election?

As a matter of fact, there is ever increasing awareness that Imo is in doldrums and needs skilled hands to handle its affairs. Everybody is getting to understand that apart from noise, something tangible must be done to change things for the best interest of the people. That there is more work to do than rhetoric or noise making. Our state needs true rescue operation. Sincerely looking of the candidates of Ken Ojiri, he is shoulders high above all other candidates and has proved he can do it by his inspiring career in the private sector.

In addition, he is an expert in finance, management and economics and he is a good man and also, he made a beautiful choice of a running mate in the person of Dr. Fabian Ihekweme, a Hamburg scholar with good exposure and rich experience in Nigeria politics.

Again, the manifesto of the Accord Party is the most realistic and practical of all the manifestoes I have seen in the current season. It is a document which captures the salient issues ranging from economic, social, political, institutional and infrastructural. All these blended together will give us what Imo has been longing for in leadership. And above all, he and his team have worked very hard to convince Imo people that he can pilot the affairs of the state if voted in as governor. He is a fit and proper person to deliver the goods.

Business activities return after post election fears

Emeka Ibemere

Business activities seem to have picked up following the concluded presidential election which brought back Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the March 28 general election in Nigeria after four attempts to rule Nigeria, though the gubernatorial elections are yet to be concluded.

The Broad Street, Apapa Wharf, Murtala, Central Business District, Mohammed International Airport, the closed borders, Sea ports, and oil sector business are back again to business.

Presidential election was perceived to be the election that could throw up confrontation that could cause danger to the nation. 

But the out-going President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan poured oil on the troubled minds of Nigerians that were gripped with tensions and fears when he accepted defeat and called Nigerians to accept the results.

 Jonathan who apparently adopted the ‘Abuja Accord of No Violence’ calmed the nation’s fears, which many have envisaged to rock the country should one of the two major candidates lose the election.

 Many who travelled to their different states for fear of war or politically induced violence are on their ways back to their places of business and abode, despite the yet to be concluded governorship elections.

Traders, importers, aviation sector, banking sector, oil sector, maritime sector and other private sectors have started witnessing life again. The Easter festival and the public holidays seem to be the only thing that holds business activities from picking up as usual.

Akabuogu Chukwudi, an importer said he is jetting out on Saturday April 5, to Europe to resume business after three months of staying at home for fear of the elections.

According to him, he intentionally refused to import throughout the election season for fear of somebody destroying his business.

 “But now that the President has accepted defeat I don’t see any reason while there should be violence again. Infact, he is the hero of the election. Life has returned and he has erased out fears that have gripped this country for more than three months now”, Chukwudi reasoned.

“Those who predicted that Nigeria was going to scatter have lost out. The President has restored the hopes of Nigeria by accepting the results of the election and I think, Nigerians should go back to their normal business”.

Mrs Ngozi Abba, a trader at Balogun Market affirmed on phone to our correspondent that during those two weeks to the election on March 28, that she locked her shop and travelled to Abia with her family to avoid being a victim of election violence. She said they would be returning to Lagos after Easter festival on Monday.

While Agaptus Okafor, who went to Orlu in Imo State since Christmas in December with the hope that the election would hold in February 14, also spoke to our correspondent on phone and hinted that he is returning with his family back to Lagos on Wednesday after Easter.

The traffic infested Apapa has started witnessing long jams again following the returning of business activities at the ports and wharf.

Before the election on March 28, the trailers and tankers that use to block the Apapa end of the Oshodi-Apapa Express Way disappeared on the road because of fear of being set ablaze in case of political violence.

Aviation industry has also started beaming of activities following the successful conduct of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. 

It would be recalled that for three months to the much awaited Presidential election in Nigeria, business activities suffered immensely following fears and tension that pervaded the entire nation due to the suspected backlash of the outcome of the election.

Tension wrapped the nation few weeks to the election as earlier scheduled to start on February 14 2015. The campaigns was what heightened the tension of Nigerians with heated campaigns that was characterised with hate speech, lies, gestures, blackmails, violence, attacks and many more controversies ahead of the general elections on 14 February.

Campaigns of both major parties recorded pockets of violence. Supporters of a party, suspected to be APC were accused of tearing other political parties’ posters and flags.

This was unconnected to the killings in some parts of the North by Boko Haram insurgents which became more noticeable few weeks to the general elections.

In 2011 general elections, that produced Dr Goodluck Jonathan as the President violence erupted throughout the north when the 2015 president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari lost to Jonathan.

The activities of Boko Haram which started in the North East and has continued since then saw multiply deaths and destruction of business activities and properties which was recorded as a result of that.

Thousands of Nigerians lost their lives and properties.  Many were forced to leave some parts of the North where they were doing one business or the other to other safer states.

However, the wisdom of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to postpone the February 14 election for six weeks; watered down the high tension of the election month.

Yet business activities were suspended as business, parastatals, maritime sector, aviation, banking, importation and exportation suffered a great deal. Business recorded abysmal low turn-out as importers refused to import as well as exporters.

It was the time the oil sector witnessed low pricing as naira recorded poor performance in international market. For three months, Nigerians panted with fear as economy, politics, social life, education and other super structures of life literarily went down.  The outcome of election and depreciating value of the naira forced importers to put a hold on business. The situation took a general toll on the national economy.

It was reported that many foreign investors held on to see the outcome of the general election before committing their hard earned foreign money to investment in the country.

Traders, especially those at Idumota Market, Alaba International Market, Trade Fair market and other markets across the country were lamenting of low business.

Those affected much were those dealing on cars, electronics, maritime sector, textile, wears like shoes and other imported goods. While business was relatively performing for those dealing on food items, it was costly as prices of some certain food stuffs went up.

Reports said, the Nigerian Maritime industry functioned at less than 30 percent, as a result of the March 28 Presidential Election and its results with most operators consciously keeping their eyes on security and protective measures.

The much heated traffic within Apapa area, that hosts the nation’s major port, suddenly disappeared, as several port users who travelled out of Lagos were yet to come back, while many of those who stayed in Lagos rarely go to their offices. If they do; they go to while away time.

Before and during the election, it was reported also that many importers and customs’ brokers, saw the postponement of the general election was not the best. According to them, it is simply another delay on their business.

They wanted a situation where the election was conducted once so that they could continue their business activities. The postponement to March 28, postponed the business from picking up as many of the importers would have to wait for too long before starting their international trade as usual.

Reports said at the Tin Can Island Port and PTML Terminal, many of the customs’ brokers were complaining of dull business due to the election. They also complained that the matter was made worse following the shift of the date.

 According to media reports, the monthly target of N1.9billion, was not realised by the Apapa command but was only able to collect N852 million in January and collected only N198 million in February.   This was short of the January record.

But things have changed as noticeable business activities have gradually resurfaced. At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, passengers were visibly seen trooping out to catch their flights having suspended their trips till after elections.

 At the different terminals of the Lagos airport as passengers were seen scrambling for flight tickets to various destinations within and outside the country.

The renewed courage to fly out to resume business was attributed to the presidential election results which the president conceded defeat signalling the end of perceived violence expected to happen.

At the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, many passengers were seen waiting for their flights to be called. According to some passengers, whose families are residing in Nigeria, they waited for the presidential election results to be announced before their journey so that they can be sure before leaving the Nigerian shores.

In Akwa Ibom State, especially in Uyo capital, business activities returned while Schools, markets, shops, and other private and government offices opened for businesses

The Ibom Plaza, the main business area in Uyo has also been bubbling with activities. Business recorded slow action ahead of the election.

Bloomberg Business an online International medium reports that Nigerian stocks surged the most since March 2010, leading gains among world equity markets, after former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari won a vote marking the first peaceful shift in power since the end of colonial rule in 1960.

According to the Bloomberg, “The Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index rose for a ninth day to extend its longest streak of gains since December 2012. The West African nation’s $500 million of Eurobonds due July 2023 advanced for the 11th day, pushing the yield down to the lowest since Dec. 8, as President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat, reducing the threat of post-election violence that marred previous votes”.

“The political risk has certainly decreased,” Thabo Ncalo, a money manager at Stanlib Asset Management Ltd., which oversees about $45 billion and has been adding to its Nigerian holdings, said by phone from Johannesburg. “It bodes well for investing in Nigeria. It boosts the case for coming back into the country.”

The Report also stated that Nigeria’s all-share index jumped 8.3 percent; the most among 93 global measures tracked by Bloomberg, to close at 34,388.46, the highest since Dec. 31. The gauge has gained 18 percent since the start of a nine-day rally, also the world’s largest advance over the period. At the end of February, it was the global laggard for the year.

“Almost 22 shares gained for every one that fell, paring losses for 2015 to 0.8 percent. Dangote Cement Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc, UAC of Nigeria Plc, which has interests spanning food to real estate, and Forte Oil Plc, all rose more than 10 percent on Wednesday, last week Nigerian equities traded at about 9.4 times estimated 12-month earnings, compared with a multiple of 10.1 for the MSCI Frontier Markets Index”.

“The Nigerian equity market is cheap and part of this cheapness is because the risk premium is high,” Ayodele Salami, the chief investment officer at Duet Asset Management Ltd. in London, said by phone on Tuesday.

Yields on the nation’s Eurobonds declined 22 basis points to 5.98 percent. Rates on the notes on Tuesday dropped below those of Kenya’s $2 billion of debt securities due June 2014 for the first time since Dec. 11, according to Bloomberg indexes. Nigerian dollar debt returned 3.3 percent in March, the most in Africa, the data show.

“The opportunity for positive change with genuinely new leadership is enormous,” Samuel Vecht, who oversees $2.7 billion across five emerging- and frontier-market funds, said in e-mailed comments from London. “Within Nigeria we think the banking sector has tremendous long-term potential and trades at inexpensive relative and absolute valuations.”

Newswatch Times’ correspondent who moved around in Lagos metropolis on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday April 2, reports that several companies, such as  petroleum marketing firms, banks, ICT service firms, and many manufacturing companies who shut down productions during and before the election for fear of election violence few days before the elections proper have resumed activities.

Perhaps because of the two days public holidays of Friday and Monday may have caused the hectic long traffic that resumed across Lagos metropolis an indication that the city has started witnessing the usual bustling business life.

 The popular food stuff markets, Oshodi, Ikotun, Agege, Ikeja, Idumota, Mile 12, among others are also coming back alive unlike during the election period when some Hausa traders were not bringing their wares to Lagos for fear of political violence. Meanwhile, the banks’ operations have intensified as activities resumed strongly. On Monday March 30^th during the announcement of the results, banks in Lagos worked half day for fear of violence.

Nigerians prefer drinking alcohol to water- Expert

Emeka Ibemere

Despite the health benefits of water, many Nigerians loathed taking water as a way of life, health experts have revealed.

A nutritionist has explained that Nigerians prefer to take alcoholic beverages to drinking water and said average Nigerian doesn’t take up to eight glasses cup of water per a day.

According to Mrs Livina Obinna, most of diseases bedevilling Nigerians today are lack of intake of water.

The nutritionist said apart from alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, the most preferred liquid intakes loved so much by Nigerians, they hate to drink water.

She said the only way Nigerians take water, is when they are eating or when it’s used in the cooking.

“Try and investigate what I’m telling you. Go to conferences and events where only water is served and another one where soft-drinks are served, you will notice what I’m telling you”, she said.

“You will see bottles of water untouched but soft drink served there won’t go round even its in excess quantity, they will finish it”.

According to the nutritionist, the beer and soft drinks’ intake is so alarming that most Nigerians are suffering one ailment to another. Report, shows that Americans seem to carry bottled water everywhere they go. The report stated that it has become the second most popular drink (behind soft drinks).

“While we may not need eight glasses, there are plenty of reasons to drink water. In fact, drinking water (either plain or in the form of other fluids or foods) is essential to your health”, the Report stated.

"Think of water as a nutrient your body needs that is present in liquids, plain water, and foods. All of these are essential daily to replace the large amounts of water lost each day," says Joan Koelemay, RD, dietitian for the Beverage Institute, an industry group.

According to experts, Fluid losses occur continuously, from skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool and these losses must be replaced daily for good health.

It was reported that when a person’s water intake does not equal the output, it causes dehydrated. “Fluid losses are accentuated in warmer climates, during strenuous exercise, in high altitudes, and in older adults, whose sense of thirst may not be as sharp”, the Finding says.

According to nutritionist, drinking of water helps maintain the balance of body fluids. Human body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.

Reports say that through the posterior pituitary gland, the brain communicates with kidneys and tells it how much water to excrete as urine or hold onto for reserves.

When one is on low fluids, the brain triggers the body's thirst mechanism. And unless one is taking medications that make the person thirsty, experts said you should listen to those cues and get yourself a drink of water, juice, milk, and coffee -- anything but alcohol. Water makes up about 2/3 of which we are, and influences 100 percent of the processes in our body

A research said water could aid weight loss. According to the experts, anyone looking to lose weight could be helped by upping their water intake. Studies have found that when participants drink water before a meal, they lose weight faster than those who did not drink water. Studies also indicate that Extra H2O helps man eat less by making the person feel full, and it may also boost metabolism.

CamelBak hydration advisor Kate Geagan, RD says it’s not uncommon to put on weight by mistaking thirst for hunger, and she offers this pro tip: Next time you feel fatigued or sluggish, “drinking water may be just what you need to perk up.”

It was reported that water powers one’s warm-weather exercise. The findings show that with the proper precautions, working out in the heat is usually fine and staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do.

The hotter the workout, the sweatier we tend to get, so it’s extra important to replace those lost fluids. Determining sweat rate informs good rehydration strategy:

According to studies, if an athlete knows his or her sweat rate, they can begin to practice replacing the fluid losses in training and be optimally prepared for athletic exertion.

Water helps to dissolve fats and soluble fiber. Drinking enough water prevents constipation and also reduces the burden on the kidneys and liver by helping to flush waste products. Report said in the large intestine, water binds with fiber to increase the bulk of the stools, reduce transit time and make elimination easier. According to experts, when one doesn’t   drink enough water and fluids, the colon pulls water from stools, and increase risk of constipation.

Another advantage of drinking water is that it helps sports men and women to fight fatigue.

It’s well known that water is an integral part of most any workout, and it becomes especially important in order to prevent dehydration during long workouts. During exercising of about an hour or more, drinking water treated with carbohydrates and salts by mixing in tablets such as Nuun, or making a DIY version can help maintain fluid balance, which aids athletic performance and helps prevent post-exercise fatigue and exhaustion.

Experts say drinking water may protect against some types of cancer.

Research has found that the greater the fluid intake, the lower the incidence of bladder cancer, with more significant results when the fluid is water. According to the research, one possible reason could be that urinating more frequently prevents the build-up of bladder carcinogens. Staying hydrated may also reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer.

Experts also hinted that water intake can improve somebody’s mood. According to Studies, drinking water makes one feel so refreshed that it actually improves the person’s state of mind.

When it’s too snowy or icy to go for a run, or you want a workout that’s as fun as it is good for you, experts recommend some frozen water. They recommend that when try ice skating for a low-impact workout that challenges one’s balance, and get in some hill-work while sledding, and get a full-body workout while cross-country skiing, or improve one’s cardiovascular endurance with snow-shoeing.

Drinking water has been proved to help in preventing headaches, naturally. It’s said that going without water for too long cause’s headaches for some people, and has been identified as a migraine trigger. The good news is that in a study on the effects of water on headaches, participants experienced “total relief” from their headaches within 30 minutes of drinking water, two cups, on average. Experts say a good way to prevent headaches is to stay hydrated throughout the day. According to the report, a dehydration-triggered headache could be cured with significant more water intake, to help it go away. Two to four cups of water is recommended for headache relief within one to two hours.

Also, drinking water keeps kidneys working. Kidneys remove waste from human bodies, and help control the blood pressure, and balance fluids. Taking water is proved to be crucial to keeping systems running smoothly. Adequate water consumption keeps kidneys in tip-top shape.

According to experts, feeling tired is one of the first signs of dehydration and filling back up on H2O could zap the sleepiness. At this time, experts recommend drinking a couple glasses of water.

Water drinking can help keep one alert. Research says needed concentration for long periods of time, water is very necessary and should be handy to help one stay refreshed, hydrated, and focused: Dehydration could impair one’s attention span, memory, and motor skills.

It has been revealed that drinking water protects joints and cartilage water around our joints hydrated and supple, ensuring that our joints stay lubricated. It also protects spinal cord and tissues while keeping one healthy from the inside out.

According to research, drinking of water takes the edge off of hangovers. Drinking alcohol causes dehydration, which can lead to hangovers. But having a glass of water with each alcoholic drink is one way to offset the dehydration.

Experts further said that water drinking could help one to think more clearly. According to them, dehydration causes shrinkage of brain tissue and if one has not been drinking enough water, the brains have to work a lot harder to perform at the same level. One study even found that students who brought water to tests did better on their exams.

A study that followed 400 participants during cold and flu season found that those who gargled water regularly were significantly less likely to contact upper respiratory infections and that when they did, their symptoms weren’t as severe.

Water-rich fruits and vegetables like cucumber, watermelon, and strawberries contain minerals, salts, and natural sugars the body needs for optimum hydration levels, so eating them could sometimes rehydrate more effectively and a lot more tastily than water alone.

About 60 percent of the human body is made of water, and keeping our fluids balanced means that all that water is doing its job—transporting nutrients, aiding digestion, regulating temperature, and so on.

There seems to be a link between risk of death from coronary heart disease and water intake: Research has shown both that consuming more water means a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease and that risk of death rises when intake of “high-energy fluids” like soda and juice increases.

Nigerians reject interim, military rule....prefers democracy—AFROBAROMETER

Emeka Ibemere

Against all odds for those calling for an interim or military governments against the fallouts of the general elections, which comes up this week, Nigerians of all hue have opted for democracy as best form of government.

Presenting the survey before the media, the Programme officers of CLEEN Foundation, Nengak Daniel, and Raphael Mbaegbu graphically explained that while majority rejected non-democratic alternatives, 15 percent approved military rule while 11 percent support one-party rule and nine percent approved of one-man rule (Interim) system of governance.

“Ahead of the elections, key political office holders receive weak approval ratings on their performance and public perceptions are characterised by low levels of trust and high levels of perceived corruption”, Nengak Daniel stated.

“More than half of 57 percent of Nigerians say Nigeria is a democracy ‘with major problems’ or not a democracy at all,”

“Elected officials at all levels, including the president and members of the National Assembly, receive weak approval ratings and are perceived by a majority of citizens as corrupt.”

The highpoints of the survey says 65 percent of Nigerians favour democracy as the best form of government, which was a decrease from 69 percent in 2012 and one in five, 21 percent say non-democratic forms can sometimes be preferable.

In reaching to their conclusion of this year’s research and survey, Afrobarometer said they used face-to-face interviews in the local languages of the respondents’ choice with nationally representative samples to reach at their conclusion.

According to the wide-base research organisation, as Nigerians prepare to vote in the 2015 general elections, the survey findings revealed that support for democracy remains the wish of majority of Nigerians even though weaker than two years and was tempered by high levels of dissatisfaction and low approval ratings for elected officials.

  The survey said over the past 25 years, Nigeria has had four general elections in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. It said while democracy has other prerequisites, the conduct of periodic elections was arguably the most important factor for the sustenance of democracy. According to the survey report, Nigerians are not strangers to the concept of democracy as 72 per cent understand the meaning of the word-democracy including 69 percent of women. The survey went on to explain that two-thirds that is 65 percent of Nigerians prefer democracy over other forms of government.

“This is a decline from 69 percent in 2012. Moreover, a full 21 percent of citizens say non-democratic forms of government can sometimes be preferable, while 11 percent say the system of government in place doesn’t matter while majorities rejected non-democratic alternative.”

On the quality of democracy in Nigeria, only seven percent of Nigerians said that the country is a full democracy which is below 9 percent in 2012 while 10 percent says, it was not a democracy at all, also a drop from 16 percent in 2012 while 47 percent said Nigeria is practicing democracy with major problems with 35 percent viewed Nigerian democracy as one with minor problems.

“Only 29 percent are very satisfied or fairly satisfied with the way democracy is working in Nigeria while 68 percent are not very or not at all satisfied”, the survey report says.

“Dissatisfaction with the quality of democracy is a theme that cuts across the country’s six geo-graphical zones or regions, peaking at 75 percent who are not very or not at all satisfied in the North Central, North East, and South West”.

“59 percent of respondents in the South East are the least dissatisfied with the quality of democracy practiced in Nigeria. There is no significant difference between men and women regarding their satisfaction with democracy in Nigeria”.

Despite the high pitch tension concerning the Saturday March 28, election, Nigerians preferred democracy as a system that could grant them freedom and popular participation in governance than military and Interim alternatives. Ahead of the election, Nigerians are adamant to vote their preferred candidates but wouldn’t want to toy with interim option or military even in the provocation of any post-election violence, they still would want democracy.

“Yet, as troubled as the upcoming election has been, there are signs that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing. Information flow is at breakneck speed. The plurality of voices in the Nigerian media is emblematic of a country that enjoys freedom of expression, a rare commodity in many African countries. Though Nigeria’s democracy faces serious challenges, it also shows signs of resilience,” Uchenna Ekwo, a journalist reported.

The survey also stated that majority of Nigerians do not consider the ballot an effective means of removing leaders who fail to perform in office and do not see voters as playing a leading role in holding political officials accountable.

Afrobarometer, is an African-led, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions and related issues across more than 30 countries in Africa, Their five rounds of surveys was conducted between 1999 and 2013, while the round six surveys are currently under way 2014-2015.

 The fieldwork for the Afrobarometer round of six in Nigeria was conducted by Practical Sampling International, PSI, in collaboration with the CLEEN Foundation. According to PSI, they interviewed 2,400 adult Nigerians between December 5, 2014 and 19 January 2015. The samples covered 33 of Nigerian’s 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

“It was not possible to conduct interviews in three states in the North East zone of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States because of the insecurity in those states. The group said they substituted samples units from neighbouring states in the same zone thus; each of the country’s zones is represented in proportion to its share of the national population”. The survey said.

 “A sample of this size yields results at the national level with a margin of sampling error of +/-2% at a 95% confidence level. Previous Afrobarometer surveys have been conducted in Nigeria in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2012”.