The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ballot papers

  • Ogun ADC raises alarm over missing ballot papers

    ….No cause for alarm – INEC

     

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Imeko – Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State has alleged that a total of 6,053 ballot papers for the rescheduled Saturday House of Representatives election in the area have not been delivered, less than 10 hours to the poll.

    The party claimed that the records from its agents at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Office showed that a total of 62,853 ballot papers were released from the state office for Imeko-Afon LG but lamented that at the Imeko-Afon INEC office, only 56,790 ballot papers were physically sighted and counted by its agent, agents of other political parties and security personnel.

    In a petition by the trio of Alhaji Jimoh Aremu Olaifa – ADC candidate Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency, Hon. Kayode Elegbede – ADC chairman, Imeko-Afon LGA and Mr. Ben Ibikunle – ADC agent – Imeko Afon LGA, they claimed there is a “shortage of 6,053 ballots papers” and demanded for the return of the ‘missing’ 6,053 ballot papers.

    The Petition was addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), INEC, Ogun State and copied the National Chairman INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, State Chairman of ADC and the National Chairman of ADC.

    The Petitioners urged the state REC to use his good office to ensure that the missing 6053 House of Representatives ballot papers for Imeko-Afon are produced immediately to safeguard the credibility of the election.

    The petition reads: “We the undersigned are writing to officially bring to your notice that a total of 6,053 ballot papers for the Saturday 23 House of Representatives election in Imeko Afon LG were not delivered to the Imeko-Afon INEC office and up till this time the said ballot papers are not accounted for.

    “Records from our agents at the Ogun State INEC office showed that a total of 62,853 ballot papers were released from the state office for Imeko-Afon LG.

    Read Also: Policeman, thugs arrested for branding private vehicles in police colours

    “However, at the Imeko-Afon INEC office, only 56,790 ballot papers was physically sighted and counted by our agent, agents of other political parties and security personnel leaving a shortage of 6053 ballots papers as above.

    “Interestingly the same number of 62,843 ballot papers released for the Presidential and senatorial elections was physically sighted and counted by all concerned at the INEC office, Imeko Afon.

    “We hereby strongly demand that you used your good office to ensure that the missing 6053 House of Representatives ballot papers for Imeko-Afon are produced immediately to safeguard the credibility of this election and nip in the bud ongoing speculation that can threatened law and order in the local government.”

    But reacting, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Adenike Tadese,

    said there is no cause for alarm as the box containing the ballot papers for Imeko Afon was sealed, untampered and opened in the presence of all stakeholders with all witnessing it that the shortfall was not the result of theft or missing, but a case of an error(of counting) from the manufacturer.

    Mrs. Tadese added that the petitioners were only trying to make mountain out of a mole hill as the number of registered voters in the area are not up to the number of available ballot papers for the House of Representatives election in Imeko Afon LGA.

  • REC declares ballot papers for Niger East, North missing

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State yesterday said that elections for the senatorial positions of Niger East and Niger North may not hold on Saturday as the ballot papers meant for the zone were missing.

    Prof. Samuel Egwu, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, made the declaration while addressing newsmen in Minna.

    “The issue has been reported to the INEC’s headquarters in Abuja for urgent attention.

    “The officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria saddled with the responsibility of securing the electoral sensitive materials have gone to Abuja for the last batch of the sensitive materials for Saturday’s elections in the state, so we are waiting,” he said.

    Read also: Police to deploy air assets, sniffer dogs for polls

    Egwu said that 85 per cent of the needed facilities for the conduct of free and fair elections in the state had been provided with the non-sensitive materials already moved to various destinations across the 25 local government areas of the state.

    He said that the commission trained 23,000 ad hoc staff for the elections in the state.

    The REC also said that 2,181,400 eligible voters would participate during the general elections in the state.

     

  • Truck carrying ballot papers held

    Some youths in Ogoja Local Government of Cross River State yesterday apprehended a truck conveying ballot papers.

    The Nation gathered the truck, with Enugu State registration, was stopped by youths in Egbung community, during a routine check of vehicles by members of a taskforce.

    An eyewitness said the truck was carrying unused ballot papers belonging to Boki council for the 2015 state constituency election, computer accessories and documents.

    The driver, he said, claimed to have been authorised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to move the ballot papers from Calabar.

    Read also: Election: INEC can’t afford to disappoint, says Yakubu

    He said: “After being interrogation by the task force, the driver said he was not certain of his destination and this raised suspicion so he was apprehended and the police was invited.”

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dr. Frankland Briyai, said he had been notified of the development and had reported it to appropriate security agencies for investigation.

    He said he would speak more on the matter when investigations was concluded.

     

  • Ekiti tribunal to rule on ballot papers recounting

    The Ekiti State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting at the Apo High Court will tomorrow rule on the recounting of ballot papers before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at Apo village, Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    The tribunal, yesterday, adjourned the sitting till tomorrow to rule on the application, after members listened to the arguments by both parties.

    The tribunal is chaired by Justice Suleiman Bolaji.

    Respondents in the petition are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the winner of the election, Dr John Kayode Fayemi.

    The petitioners are challenging the declaration of Fayemi as the winner of the election.

    At resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to the petitioner, Mr Sunday Olowolafe, brought an application, urging the tribunal to recount the ballot papers used in the July 14 poll.

    He said: “My lord, the ballot papers are relevant because they form the foundation of the suit. We are seeking that justice must be done.”

    The lawyer averred that granting the application would strengthen the democracy as well as its electoral jurisprudence.

    He said: “Granting this application will strengthen the rule of law and democracy.”

    But counsel to INEC, Chief Charles Uwesuyi, told the tribunal that the petitioners failed to establish that they have the right to recount ballot papers.

    “My lord, this process that my learned friend is talking about is strange. The ballot papers must be admitted first before the tribunal can act on them,” Uwesuyi said.

    He urged the tribunal to reject such application because the papers had not been admitted in evidence.

    Counsel to the second respondent, Chief Akin Olujimi, aligned with the submissions of the counsel to the first respondent.

    The lawyer noted that the preliminary submissions by the petitioners showed that they have no leg in the law to stand on.

    “There is no jurisdiction in the electoral tribunal. I urge your lordship to reject this application,” he said.

  • Ballot papers for large number of political parties

    SIR: As the preparation for 2019 General Elections intensifies, there are some sundry issues that should command the attention of elections stakeholders. One is the unintended impact of large number of registered political parties on the design and printing of ballot papers in a fit for purpose manner. With the number of registered political parties reportedly standing at 91 currently, a huge nightmare stares us in the face in terms of design of voter-friendly ballot papers.

    What can the political stakeholders do? A general consensus between INEC and all registered political parties is imperative on the subject matter perhaps, after the closure of submission and substitution of parties’ candidates list or names for various electable positions to foreclose crowding the ballot papers by all means. That in the event whereby no candidates is fielded for a particular position by a political party, the electoral commission is not obligated to include logo/symbol of such political party (or parties) on the ballot paper for the specific election in view. This is premised on the assumption that no strip of any paper size (A1, A2, A3, A4, etc) can contain a single list of logos, symbols and acronyms of all registered political parties in a fit for purpose single row presentation.

    The possibility of huge voided or invalid votes looms large considering the fact that indelible ink from thump printing of elongated ballot paper can easily stain and overlap thereby rendering such stained ballot paper indeterminable. Moreover, casting such elongated ballot paper into the conventional ballot box size usually deployed by INEC for voting can further compound the risk of voided or invalid votes unless the commission is contemplating of migrating to bigger size ballot boxes like the type normally used for submitting tender documents in procurement contracts which have additional cost implication; not to talk of general level of voters literacy in the country.

    Another nagging issue is the abuse or misuse of state and administrative resources (SARs). As incumbents continue to enjoy undue advantages attached to their offices at the expense of political opponents, what is the acceptable minimum amount of paraphernalia of office that ruling parties and or incumbent candidates can enjoy by virtue of incumbency vis-à-vis their political opponents? What is the general understanding and delimitation of public property from personal ones; is it aceeptable to use public property for private partisan business?

    Like the common practice when PDP held sway and similar manifestations at the subnational levels across all the states of the federation, the ruling APC held its National Caucus meeting at Presidential Villa on Tuesday, August 28, using State House banquet facilities and logistics, including water and beverages maintained from public purse; yet a presidential hopeful, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was reportedly denied access to use Eagle Square for his legitimate political activity even when the facility might have been paid for on a flimsy pretense. It may sound inconsequential but it matters for long term observers accessing the overall freeness and fairness of our electoral process and the credibility of the elections that level playing field must be guaranteed for all at all times.

     

    • Tunde Salman,

    goodgovernanceteam@gmail.com

     

  • Police arrest PDP members for alleged possession of ballot papers

    Four days to the governorship election in Ekiti State, Ekiti State Police Command has nabbed two members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who were found in possession of already thumprinted papers in favour of PDP in the Saturday governorship election.

    A statement by Director of Media and Publicity, Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Mr. Wole Olujobi, identified the two suspects as Ashiru Gbenga and Olaide Olayeye, who were promptly arrested, interrogated and detained.

    They are now helping the police in their investigation.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, when contacted by our reporter promised to get back later.

    As about 12 noon on Wednesday, intelligence report indicated that one Vien Foton vehicle marked KTU 477 DG Lagos was parked at Fayose Market along Ajilosun Street, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Upon information to the police headquarters on the suspicious parking, a team of detectives was deployed to the scene to conduct a search on the vehicle where two leaflets of already thumprinted ballot papers were found in favour of PDP.

  • Ballot papers’ recount begins at Edo tribunal

    Ballot papers’ recount begins at Edo tribunal

    The recounting of ballot papers used in four local government areas of Edo State in the September 28 governorship election began yesterday.

    It was done in the open, in line with the directive of the Election Petitions Tribunal.

    Representatives of the petitioners and those of the respondents monitored the recount.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, are expecting to prove their allegations of over-voting during the election.

    Also, the tribunal rejected an application of the petitioners seeking an extension of time to present its witnesses.

    The petitioners are expected to close their case by 1 p.m today but pleaded for an extension of time to enable them call more witnesses and conclude the recounting of ballot papers.

    As at press time yesterday, the petitioners had called 90 of the 400 witnesses lined up to testify.

    PDP’s lead counsel, Yusuf Alli (SAN), urged the tribunal to allow mercy flow and grant his clients more time.

    But lawyer to the respondents opposed the request.

  • Edo: Tribunal begins recounting of ballot papers

    Edo: Tribunal begins recounting of ballot papers

    The recounting of ballot papers used in four local government areas in the September 28 Governorship Election in Edo State has begun.

    It is being done in the open court as ordered by the tribunal.

    Representatives of the petitioners and the respondents are monitoring the recounting.

    The People’s Democratic Party and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are expecting to prove their allegations of over voting during the election.

    Meanwhile, the Tribunal has rejected an application of the petitioners seeking for extension of time to present its witnesses.

    The petitioners were expected to close their case by 1pm on Friday but pleaded for extension of time to enable it call more witnesses and conclude the recounting of ballot papers.

    As at press time, the petitioners have only called 90 witnesses against 400 witnesses lined up to testify.

    Lead Counsel to the PDP, Yusuf Alli, urged the tribunal to allow the reign of mercy to flow and grant them time but Counsel to respondents refused.

  • Edo poll: Video shows APGA candidate tearing ballot papers

    Edo poll: Video shows APGA candidate tearing ballot papers

    A video which has gone viral on the internet has shown candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, tearing ballot papers at the polling unit where he voted in Oredo local government area.

    The video which lasted about two minutes recorded Onaiwu shouting and tearing ballot papers at a polling unit and walking to another polling unit.

    A boy in the video was seen throwing a table away while other electoral materials were scattered on the ground.

    When contacted for comments, Onaiwu confirmed tearing the ballot papers but claimed that the ballot papers were earlier snatched by some thugs he said were working for the APC.

    His words, “The video they are showing that is my polling units. APC thugs brought thugs and took the ballot away. They brought them back and said we should continue counting.

    “I said no and refused the papers to be counted. That was how I threw the ballot papers away. I am not a coward. You cannot return ballot papers that were earlier taken away. All my family members voted for me there and I am expected to win. Let them be sharing the video online.”

    Onaiwu also led a protest against the results released by INEC on the governorship polls.

    He said it was wrong for INEC to declare results in an election marred by irregularities.

    The APGA candidate said he could not have gotten 876 votes after carrying out rigorous campaigns across the 18 local government areas of the state.

    He said police cannot stop anybody from carrying out protests against the outcome of an election conducted by INEC in the state.

    Mr Onaiwu alleged that his results were manipulated because he refused to give bribe to some INEC officials adding that votes from Igbo and Esans were not added.

     

  • Rivers youths bust ‘INEC officials’ thumprinting ballot papers

    Rivers youths bust ‘INEC officials’ thumprinting ballot papers

    A group of youths in Rivers State at the weekend found some people believed to be officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) thumb printing ballot papers in Khana, a community in Ogoniland.

    The officials are believed to be carrying out the act to justify the results posted for the National Assembly elections.

    A source said: “One of the officials disclosed that the action was arrived at to justify the results tendered and provide evidence in preparation for tribunal.”

    The youths later handed over the materials seized from the officials to Senator Magnus Abe, who was the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers South-East Senatorial candidate.

    Abe, at a news conference yesterday which was also attended by the Director-General of the Greater Tomorrow Campaign Organisation, Victor Giadom, urged the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) unit of the police to investigate and prosecute the INEC officials and policemen involved in the act.

    Abe said: “As you can see before me are INEC ballot papers from Khana. At about 12noon (Thursday), youths stumbled on some INEC officials in their office in Bori, where they brought in presiding officers and supervisors to thumbprint ballot papers and doctored results all in favour of PDP.

    “I called the Area Commander, Bori and the DPO who told me the INEC officials were in Bori to collect their stipends on the last elections; I called CP Karma, who asked me to report the matter to the CID; I decide to inform the Nigerian public before proceeding to the police CID.”

    Abe urged INEC chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega to redeploy the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Gesila Khan, before next Saturday’s elections “for showing executive recklessness in collaboration with PDP and the police”.

    He also called for the cancellation of the “concocted elections, because the votes counted in favour of the PDP were not cast by Rivers people”.