The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ELECTION

  • Ekiti 2018: INEC issues election notice

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday issued a Notice of Election for the July 14 poll in Ekiti State.

    The issuance signalled beginning of activities toward the conduct of the election.

    However, the ban on campaigns will be lifted on April 14.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof. AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji, who addressed a briefing at INEC’s office in Ado-Ekiti, said the notice was issued 90 days to the election.

    He said the electoral umpire would conduct a credible, transparent, free and fair election.

    Raji explained that in accordance with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, INEC must give a notice of 90 days.

    He said campaigns would begin from April 15 and end midnight of July 12.

    Raji added that parties will, on June 30, submit names of their agents.

    According to him, any party that fails to meet up with the date will not have no agent.

    The INEC chief said after July 12, parties would not be allowed to go on air to campaign or run adverts and jingles for their candidates.

    He said: “Any party that fails to submit names of its agents by June 30 will not be allowed to field agents at the election.

    “After July 12, no jingles or adverts of candidates and parties will be entertained. It is the job of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and security agencies to enforce the law.”

    Raji said as part of efforts to ensure more people registered for the election, 531 centres had been created.

    He said the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in the new centres would begin between April 11 and 16 in 177 registration areas.

    According to him, the exercise became necessary, to move it closer to the people and enhance participation in the election.

    Raji said: “In line with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2013 as amended, it provides that not later than 90 days to the election, INEC must give the notice of election and by the constitution, today marks the day we should give the notice of election.

    “As the Resident Electoral Commissioner, and on behalf of the leadership of the commission, I give the notice of the governorship election today 90 days to the poll.

    “I urge people who are yet to register and have attained 18 years to register, as we are moving the centres to them.

    “We want to remove bottlenecks people complain of; from economic to distance and some political reasons. We are bringing registration to their doorsteps.

    “We promise the people that a few weeks after the exercise; their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be ready for collection. We expect them to go to our offices for their cards, because no PVC, no election.”

    He said 513,000 PVCs have been distributed, adding that 218,000 cards are yet to be collected by those who registered before April 2017.

    Raji advised stakeholders to cooperate with INEC to ensure a successful poll.

     

    ‘218,000 PVCs uncollected in Ekiti’

    INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday that 218,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected in Ekiti Stte.

    It has issued a “Notice of Election”, informing that the governorship election will hold on July 14.

    INEC said this was in line with the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Law.

    Spokesman Taiwo Gbadegesin, at a public enlightenment forum in Ado-Ekiti, said 500,000 PVCs had been collected.

    He advised those yet to pick their PVCs to do so, saying they would be disenfranchised without PVCs.

    Gbadegesin said PVCs for those who registered between April 2017 to date were yet to be delivered from Abuja.

    The spokesman said the cards would be distributed as soon as they were delivered to the Ekiti State office of INEC.

    He said university students and corps members, who had completed their service, might be those who had not collected their PVCs.

    Gbadegesin said the commission also suspected others who did double registration.

    “They may be afraid that they can be arrested if they show up,” he said.

    Gbadegesin said the commission would sensitise voters ahead of the election.

    He advised parties to sensitise their followers and members on the need to collect their PVCs.

  • Plot to override Buhari’s veto on election sequence thickens

    The Senate may have concluded arrangements to upturn the rejection of the amendment to the Electoral Act by President Muhammadu Buhari, it was learnt yesterday.

    President Buhari’s letter declining assent was read on Tuesday

    The Presidential letter sparked anxiety at the two chambers of the National Assembly leading to a series of clandestine meetings by the pro- and anti-Electoral Act amendment lawmakers.

    A source privy to the meeting, said “pro-Buhari governors, senators, House of Representatives members and ministers” attended one of the meetings “to formulate measures to frustrate the plan to override the assent of the president on the Bill.”

    In the same vain, lawmakers determined to override the president on the Bill were also shopping for members to make up the 74 needed by the Senate to override the president.

    “Some friendly governors,” sympathetic to the National Assembly on the reordering of election sequence in the country, were said to have continued to hold meetings with interested lawmakers.

    It was learnt that “if the leadership of the National Assembly is convinced of the required number,” the lawmakers might over ride the president next week.

    The Senate leadership is said to be of “high hope” that the required number of senators who would back the move to over ride the president would be met.

    The source also said that “serious flaws have been identified in the constitutional provisions relied upon by the president to withhold assent to the Bill.”

  • ‘Social Media can win the Election in 2019’

    ‘Social Media can win the Election in 2019’

    Unavoidably, Facebook has been proven to be the largest community in the world in this present age. Facebook a fraction of the larger part of the mysterious inter-connecting society called the Social Media.

    The rise of Social Media users and the strength in its versatility is increasingly jaw-dropping. All kinds of institutions have come alive on the Social Media, ranging from the Government, its parastatals.

    The rise of bank interacting with their followers and customers who tweet at them and respond directly to customers who tweet as well as churches and law enforcement agencies, the likes of Lawma (the #LeaveTrashForLawma), Lastma, FRSC, NDLEA responding to tweets about drug abuse once seen, EFCC tweeting back at corrupt tweets or feeds.

    From the rise in the activities of these institutions, it shows that there is a shift to the social media.

    I say, “To sell in a product or idea in these times, feed it to the Social Media “Facts have shown rapid growth in product sales after the campaign went viral on social media.

    A close example is that of beard oil, at a time, timelines and captions on pictures and quotes were about men and beards. #BeardGang, Twitter and Instagram had tons of trends each day about beards thus companies selling beard oils took to those platforms and sold their products.

    These days you can buy practically anything once you search through the social media. Through hashtags and usernames you can locate agencies and businesses.

    Read Also: How social media forced NNPC, NASS to cancel dinner

    However, there is no argument that the youth own the internet media and it was said by analysts that in 2015, the youth won the now ruling party their seat of power.

    Therefore, I strongly believe that come 2019, the youth would be the core decider to who wins the elections but this time in a pretty new fashion, the Social Media.

    The Social Media is the only place where Nigerian Youths come in oneness and in one voice, void of tribe and ethnicity.

    The most feared social media society in the world. The binding power, the stronghold of the forthcoming elections.

    For a reason twitter Nigeria as it is called, not Twitter Igbo or Yoruba or Hausa, is the uniting force against and for any party or candidate this election.

  • 2019: INEC fixes election dates till 2055

    2019: INEC fixes election dates till 2055

    •Commission: 2019 dates sacrosanct
    •Political parties back electoral agency
    • 108 associations seek registration as parties

    The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) says it has fixed dates for future elections, even up to 2055.

    Its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu broke the news yesterday at the regular quarterly consultative meeting between the management of INEC and the political parties in Abuja.

    The initiative, he said, was meant to ensure stability and certainty in the country’s democratic process as obtained in the developed world like in the United States (U.S.).

    “On this principle, the dates for the 2019 elections as well as future elections are no longer a matter of speculation. In 2019, the dates are 16th February and 2nd March. In 2023, it is 18th February and 4th March; in 2027, 20th February and 6th March; 2031, it is 15th February and 1st March and so on,” the INEC boss explained.

    Yakubu argued that the idea was to “engender certainty in our electoral calendar, allows for long-term planning by the commission as well as stakeholders and brings our democracy in line with the best practice around the world. I am glad that this decision has received the overwhelming support of stakeholders”.

    He added 108 groups have so far applied for registration as political parties, with nine at the final stages of the process.

    On the issue of underage voting, Yakubu vowed that the commission would ensure that ineligible voters were removed from the register.

    He pleaded with the political parties to assist the commission in the process, stressing that they have important role to play.

    “I wish to appeal to political parties to help the commission in further cleaning up the voter’s register. This appeal is all the more pertinent here because in addition to the display of the voter’s register in every polling unit nationwide before the 2011 and 2015 general elections for claims and objections, copies of the register were given to every political party at the time. In addition, the commission also availed each political party that fielded candidates in the five governorship elections conducted since the 2015 general elections a copy of the updated voter’s register for each state. However, as at today no political party has formally drawn the attention of the commission to the prevalence of ineligible persons based on their interrogation of the voter’s register,” the INEC boss said.

    On fresh application for registration as political parties, Yakubu noted that “as at Friday last week, the commission had received 108 applications out of which 66 associations have failed the initial assessment and they have been advised accordingly and none has responded so far. Thirty-three associations have passed the initial assessment and were formally advised to proceed to the next stage while nine associations are at the final stages of the processes. “

    On the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun states governorship polls, Yakubu appealed to political parties to ensure that proactive steps were taken for rancour-free conventions and congresses.

    He noted that “internal party democracy is crucial to our democracy and success of elections. It also helps to eliminate some of the protracted litigations we have seen well beyond the general elections. With less than a year to the 2019 general elections, there are still cases being prosecuted in the regular courts challenging the nomination of candidates for the 2015 general elections.

    “Such cases do not only distract the commission from focusing on the next elections, they also add to avoidable expenditure in lengthy prosecution of cases in various courts. It is important for parties to adhere strictly to the provisions of your respective party constitutions and your internal alternative dispute resolutions and mechanism.”

    Besides, Yakubu warned parties against non-compliance to the constitutional and other legal requirements for their registration.

    He said no party should feel comfortable in breach of especially the responsive criteria for its existence.

    But political parties under the umbrella of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), at the consultative meeting, backed INEC sequence for conduct of the 2019 general elections.

    IPAC said it is a constitutional issue and hence the parties stand by the decision of the electoral body.

  • Nasarawa council election to hold May 26

    Nasarawa council election to hold May 26

    The Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has slated May 26 to conduct local government elections.

    The Acting Chairman, Aliyu Mohammad Dogara, in a statement yesterday, said: “NASIEC, by virtue of the law establishing it, and pursuant to paragraph 3 part II of the third schedule of the constitution (as amended), has concluded arrangements to hold its local government elections on May 26, 2018.

    “All political parties are hereby requested to begin preparations for the elections while arrangements are being made by the commission to invite them for a meeting.”

    Dogara said the collection and submission of forms would be at the headquarters of the commission in Lafia, adding that a comprehensive time table would be available soon.

  • Why National Assembly can’t fix election dates, by Falana

    Why National Assembly can’t fix election dates, by Falana

    Activist-lawyer Femi Falana insists the National Assembly erred by reordering the dates for the general elections scheduled for next year by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) says the National Assembly lacks the power to fix election dates

    Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has conducted the general elections on a two-tier or three-tier basis.

    Even though the National Assembly had attempted in the past to use the Electoral Act to alter the sequence of elections fixed by the INEC it did not succeed. In spite of the ongoing controversy surrounding the sequence of elections, our recent experience as a nation has shown that there is nothing sacrosanct about it.

    In 1999 and 2007, the presidential election came up last while it came up first in 2015.  In influencing the order of elections in 2015, the ruling party had thought that holding the presidential election first would have bandwagon effect on the outcome of the other elections. But the result was a disaster for the ruling party.

    It has equally been confirmed that when elections into the legislative houses were held before other elections in the past, majority of sitting legislators lost their seats.  So, there is no indication that President Muhammadu Buhari stands to benefit electorally from the decision of the INEC to retain the 2015 sequence of elections.

    But notwithstanding the reactions of the presidency and the National Assembly to the sequence of elections announced by the INEC, it is pertinent to review the relevant provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and judicial authorities on the vexed issue.

    In preparations for the 2019 general elections the INEC recently released a timetable for party primaries and the elections into the various offices in exercise of its powers under Sections 76, 116, 132 and 178 as well as paragraph 15 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule made pursuant to section 153 (1) of the Constitution.

    Under the arrangement, the presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on February 16, 2019, while the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections will take place on March 2, 2019.  But in the Electoral Bill 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly, the sequence of the general elections has been altered. The sequence as proposed by the new amendment is (A): National Assembly election; (B): Governorship and State Assembly elections and (C): Presidential election.

    No doubt, the matter has generated a needless controversy to the extent that little or no attention is paid to the other provisions of the Electoral Bill which have the capacity to promote internal democracy and enhance the credibility of the electoral process.

    Perhaps not aware of the state of the law, the INEC has announced its intention to approach the Supreme Court to test the constitutional validity of the Electoral Bill 2018 if it is eventually signed into law by the President. Since there are indications that the President may withhold his assent in the circumstance, the National Assembly has threatened to override his veto.

    Having watched the trend of the debate, it is regrettable to note that the parties involved in the dispute have not studied the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of National Assembly v. President (2003) 9 NWLR (PT 824) 104 at 143-144. In that case, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had refused to assent to the Electoral Bill 2002 which had been passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and transmitted to him on June 24, 2002.

    Subsequently, by a motion of veto-override, the National Assembly passed the bill into law. In an originating summons filed at the Federal High Court, the INEC challenged the validity of the passage of the Bill into law and the constitutionality of Section 15 of the Act which had provided that general elections shall be held in one day.

    The trial court held that the Bill was properly passed into law but that Section 15 thereof was inconsistent with Sections 76, 116, 132 and 178 of the Constitution. Dissatisfied with the annulment of Section 15 of the Electoral Act, the National Assembly filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal. On his own part, the Attorney-General of the Federation filed a cross-appeal to challenge the passage of the Bill into law. In its judgment, the Court of Appeal held that the manner of passing the bill into was unconstitutional but declined to set it aside on ground of public policy as the 2003 general elections were being conducted under the law. However, the Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court on the illegality of Section 15 of the Electoral Act.

    In his contribution to the judgment of the Court, Oduyemi J.C.A (as he then was) stated that “in so far as Section 15 of the Electoral Act, 2002 seeks to fetter that discretion and limit the third defendant to only one day in the year for all elections to the offices concerned, that provision of the Act is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution above referred to, and it is to that extent a nullity. Section 1(3) of the Constitution… All in all, I agree with the reasoning in the judgment of the lower court and with the conclusion in the judgment that Section 15 of the Electoral Act, 2002 is inconsistent with the specific provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 in Section 132(1), 76(1), 178(1), 116(1), 78, 118 and Item 15(a) of the 3rd Schedule: that it infringes upon the absolute discretion vested by the Constitution on the third respondent with regard to the fixing of dates for election into the various offices concerned.”

    However, the National Assembly took advantage of the 2010 Alteration of the Constitution to attempt to overrule the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of the National Assembly v. the President (supra). Thus, in the first alteration made to the Constitution, the National Assembly amended sections 132(1), 76(1), 178(1), 116(1), 118 and 178 of the Constitution by adding the phrase “in accordance with the Electoral Act”. Although the power of the INEC to “organise, undertake and supervise” the general elections conferred on it by paragraph 15 of Part 1 of the third schedule made pursuant to Section 153 of the Constitution was left intact, the National Assembly members erroneously believed that they had conferred on themselves the power to fix the dates for general elections in Nigeria. Hence, in the 2018 Electoral Bill, the National Assembly is alleged to have tampered with the discretion of the INEC to fix the dates for the 2019 general elections.

    Apart from the illegality of subjecting the provisions of the Constitution to the Electoral Act, the Alteration of the Constitution did not confer on the National Assembly the power of fix dates for holding the general election in Nigeria. To that extent, the National Assembly cannot use the Electoral Act to usurp the powers exclusively conferred on the INEC to appoint dates for holding the general elections in the country.

    Indeed, the Supreme Court has had cause, after the first 2010 Alteration of the Constitution, to confirm the discretionary power of the INEC to fix the dates for holding the general elections.

    In PDP V. SYLVA (2012) 13 NWLR (PT 1316) 85 the respondent challenged the decision of the INEC to cancel and reschedule the 2012 governorship election in Bayelsa State. In dismissing the contention the Supreme Court (per Rhodes Vivour JSC) held that ‘’INEC has the sole responsibility to fix dates for election and to my mind if INEC fixes a date for elections and for whatever reason, be it logistic, I do not think anyone has a cause of action against INEC for canceling an election (not held) and rescheduling elections for another day’’.

    Similarly, in NDP V INEC (2013) 20 WRN 1 at 45 the Supreme Court (per Ariwoola J.S.C.) held that “it is not in doubt that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that is, the respondent has the sole responsibility to decide when elections are to hold. See Peoples Democratic Party v Timipre Sylva & Ors (2012) 13 NWLR (Pt 1316) 85 at 122.

    The respondent also reserves the prerogative to decide what Timetable to of Activities to publish for a General Election.”

    Furthermore, in Hon. James Abiodun Faleke v INEC (2016) 50 WRN 1, the Supreme Court reiterated the view that by virtue of paragraph 15 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule made pursuant to Section 153 (1) (f) and (i) of the Constitution, the Independent National Electoral Commission has power to organise, undertake and supervise all elections to the offices of the President, Vice President, the Governor and Deputy Governor of a State and the membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly of each state of the federation.

    No doubt, the National Assembly would have achieved its objective if it had incorporated the sequence of the general elections in the Constitution. But by providing that the INEC shall fix election dates “in accordance with the Electoral Act”, the interference in the exercise of the discretionary power of INEC’s constitutional power to fix the dates for the elections cannot be justified in law.

    As far as the constitution is concerned, the power of the INEC to organise, undertake and supervise the elections which has been interpreted to include the power to fix the dates for the general elections or determine the sequence of the elections has not been altered in any material particular.

    It is the height of legislative absurdity to say that the power donated to the INEC by the Constitution shall be exercised in accordance with the provision of an interior legislation.

    In Attorney-General, Abia State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (2002) 1 WRN 1 at 45 Kutigi CJN (as he then was) held that “where the provision in the Act is within the legislative powers of the National Assembly but the Constitution is found to have already made the same or similar provision, then the new provision will be regarded as invalid for duplication and/or inconsistency and therefore inoperative.

    The same fate will befall any provision of the Act which seeks to enlarge, curtail, or alter any existing provision of the constitution. The provision or provisions will be treated as unconstitutional and therefore null and void.”

    From the foregoing, it is submitted that the interference in the exercise of the powers of the INEC to appoint dates for holding the general election in Nigeria is illegal as the provision of the Electoral Bill 2018 is inconsistent with Sections 76, 116,132 and 178 of the constitution. To the extent of such inconsistency, the provision of the Electoral Bill is illegal, null and void as stipulated by section 1 (3) of the constitution.

    In other words, since the INEC has been empowered to organize, undertake and supervise all elections the National Assembly cannot rely on the provision of the Electoral Act to usurp the powers of the INEC to fix the dates for the elections.

    In view of the settled position of the law the INEC should not waste public funds by rushing to the Supreme Court to contest its own constitutional duty to organise, undertake and supervise the 2019 general elections.

     

  • Bakassi: S/Court sets aside judgment compelling INEC to conduct election in 10 new wards

    Bakassi: S/Court sets aside judgment compelling INEC to conduct election in 10 new wards

    The Supreme Court yesterday set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Calabar, which compelled INEC to conduct elections in the 10 wards of Ikang, Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice John Okoro, held that it was the constitutional responsibility of the electoral body to create electoral wards and not the state.

    The Cross River State House of Assembly had adjusted the old three Ikang wards in Akpabuyo Local Government Area to 10 in line with Law No. 7 of Cross River State 2007.

    The judge, also held that the state had the right to make such law, adding that the “Law No.7” was not illegal.

    He said the law did not create any constituencies, but adjusted boundaries of Akpabuyo to accommodate Bakassi.

    Okoro therefore, said albeit the two lower courts were wrong to have ordered INEC to conduct elections in areas it did not delineate for that purpose.

    “The decision of the Court of Appeal, Calabar, is set aside but the commission should do the needful by formally delineating the 10 wards in Ikang for election purposes.

    “The people of Bakassi have suffered enough and they should be made to have sense of belonging,” he said.

    Dissatisfied with the decisions of the lower court, INEC had approached the apex court praying it to set aside the two judgments.

    The other appellant in the matter was the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Cross River State.

    The appellants by this appeal registered their grievances with the decision of the Court of Appeal, Calabar delivered on Dec.6, 2013 dismissing their appeal against the judgment of Justice A.F.A Ademola of the Federal High Court, Calabar.

    The respondents are Muri Asuquo, Chief Antigha Cobham, Chief Bassey Etim, and Chief Effiong Iman.

    The respondents had initiated the case on behalf of the people of Ikang Clan, Esighi Clan, Antigha Ene Eyo Clan and Eduhu Idim Ikot Eyi Clan of Bakassi Local Government Area.

    Based on the notice and grounds of appeal filed as aforementioned, the Appellants formulated four issues for formulation.

    The appellant further sought the court’s explanation whether or not the lower court was right when it entertained in suit No. FHC/C/41/2012 for the second time the same issues it had conclusively resolved.

    They also asked the court to decide on whether or not the creation and delineation and adjustment of the boundaries of the two local government areas in No.7 for the 2012 governorship election was legal.

    The appellants further asked to know whether or not the judgment of the lower court which ordered the appellants to conduct the 2012 governorship election in the 10 wards was not illegal.

  • No election is perfect, says LASIEC

    No election is perfect, says LASIEC

    The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) yesterday said there were short-comings in  the July 22, 2017 local government election.

    Its Chairman, Justice Ayotunde Phillips (retd), who took stock of the poll, said: “no elections are ever perfect.”

    She spoke at the opening of a four-day Post-election Retreat/Strategic Planning Workshop  at the Jubilee Chalets, Epe.

    Justice Phillips said the commission would not delude itself that the election was perfect.

    She said the desire for improvement in future informed the decision to do a  critique of all the major election activities and programmes carried out by the commission.

    ‘’The exercise will enable us  to find out where we erred as an Election Management Body and how to make necessary amends for better performance in future elections”, she said.

    The chairman said LASIEC could not afford to rest on its oars despite observers’ report that the election was    free, fair and credible.

    She pledged  that future elections would be more transparent, credible and acceptable.

    The commission, she said,  was seriously considering the adoption of e-voting t achieve these objectives.

    Justice Phillips said the commission was now sending electoral officers to monitor elections conducted by sister agencies, a task hitherto handled only by state electoral agencies’ chairmen.

    This, she said, would enable the officers gether experience on howelections are conducted in other climes

    The commission has been receiving encouraging  feedback in this regard, she said.

    She said the commission decided to develop a four-year Strategic Plan in partnership with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems to institutionalise election administration and management.

    The chairman praised the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and its sponsors – the USAID and the UKAID – for their unwavering commitment and contributions towards building the capacity of the commission in international best practices in election administration and management.

    Justice Phillips praised Prof Lai Olurode, a former Independent National Electoral Commssion (INEC) National Commissioner and his team,  who are the retreat’s consultants,  for sharing their experience with the participants.

     

  • Umeh: My election is victory for APGA, Anambra

    Umeh: My election is victory for APGA, Anambra

    Chief Victor Umeh was recently elected as senator by the people of Anambra Central District. Correspondent NWANOSIKE ONU writes on his thorny journey to the Upper chamber of the National Assembly. 

    The journey to the Senate for the former National Chairman of the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),  Chief Victor Umeh,  was not easy.

    But, the anxiety came to an end on January 13, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  conducted the election in the Anambra Central senatorial re-run and declared Umeh the winner.

    Before now,  many litigations had trailed the re-run, with different parties and candidates fighting against Umeh and his party.

    After the re-run, the APGA candidate was issued with the certificate of return by the INEC in Abuja and proceeded to the senate for his swearing in.

    Umeh and APGA had gone to the tribunal in Awka after the 2015 elections to challenge the declaration of Senator Uche Ekwunife’s as the winner by INEC.

    Umeh won at the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which declared that Ekwunife’s nomination by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was faulty.

    The court also directed in it’s judgement that re-run election be conducted within 90 days in central senatorial zone.

    The court did not stop there, it equally barred PDP from contesting the re-run election, but the court refused the All progressives Congress APC to substitute it’s candidate Sen Chris Ngige, who had already been appointed a minister.

    However, the party sent an official letter to INEC to conduct another primary to replace Ngige, who withdrew from the election.

    The APC and INEC are still in court over the matter. The hearing had been fixed for January 23 by the Court of Appeal,  before the electoral body hurriedly conducted the re-run.

    According to Ngige what INEC was doing was illegal, describing the election as kangaroo and a charade.

    He said listing his name on the ballot paper was an aberration,  when he had already informed the commission he was not in the race.

    Ngige said: “INEC’s action which is biased jaundiced will be viewed as an act intentionally undertaken to humiliate and ridicule my person “

    “My party APC and INEC are in court of Appeal Abuja over this obnoxious and illegal action of INEC with hearing on the matter fixed for 23 January, 2018 which is still within the ambit  of 90 days ordered by the court,  only for them to fix the election 13th, in order to give an unfair advantage to the APGA candidate to go unopposed.“

    Despite the hiccups, Umeh that fought relentlessly in making sure APGA had a representative at the Senate,  having lost Senator Chris Anyanwu from Imo State to another party.

    The struggle for the Senate,  had pitched Umeh against some powers that be in Anambra because of what some of them tagged as ‘arrogance.’

    But, Umeh’s dogged nature and maturity had kept him moving. He has been victorious in many battles.

    There was a power game between him and former Governor Peter Obi, who wanted to become the candidate of PDP, but failed.

    The APGA chieftain could be described as a cat with nine lives in the politics of Anambra State, having engaged in many legal battles and came unscathed.

    When he came face to face with some iconic figures in Anambra politics like Obi,  Ekwunife and Ngige people never gave him any.

    The election has been won and lost. But, will Umeh be a good senator?

    For Chief Anayo Nweke, who was one of the candidates during the election, in the African Democratic Congress ADC, said the Umeh’s purported victory would not stand.

    He claimed that what INEC did in the central senatorial zone was not an election in any way,  accusing the electoral body of compromise.

    Nweke further called on the Senate president,  Bukola Saraki and his co-senators not to swear any body from Anambra, until the court cases are finally settled.

    He said Chief Obiora Okonkwo was equally declared senator-elect by the federal High, while himself is also in the race for the same seat and APC too, adding that it would be unfair to swear the APGA candidate in by the Senate.

    The Anambra state Coordinator, Transform Nigeria Movement TNM, Comrade Obi Ochije, told the Nation yesterday that Umeh’s victory was victory for Democracy.

    He said Umeh’s presence in the Senate would awaken the sleeping ones from the Southeast region.

    Ochije said the people of Anambra are happy for the victory of the man he described as a political bulldozer, adding that the central senatorial zone had really suffered untold hardship since 2015.

    Now that the coast is clear for Umeh, what will be his reaction at the Senate and his body language to his traducers.

  • 2019: Jega urges reformation of election volunteering

    2019: Jega urges reformation of election volunteering

    Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday called for the reformation of electoral volunteering ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    This, he said, would enhance credibility of the polls.

    He canvassed the inclusion of more professionals, like engineers, doctors and journalists, to join National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members for volunteerism.

    Jega spoke at a public lecture organised by the University of Lagos Muslim Community (UMC) in honour of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Rahamon Bello, at Julius Berger Hall in Akoka, Lagos.

    The theme of the lecture is: Prospects and Challenges of Involving Volunteers in Nigeria’s Electoral Process.

    The ex-INEC chief said there is need for an increase in the number of volunteers in the nation’s electoral process.

    He said: “It is necessary and desirable. And if appropriately deployed, it can add tremendous value to having elections with integrity, with positive spin-off effects on good democratic governance. Since Nigeria and Nigerians have chosen liberal democracy as the political and governance system, citizens’ active participation and constructive involvement are prerequisites for its entrenchment, stability and legitimacy.

    “However, to maximally tap the benefits of volunteerism in the electoral process, urgent reforms are needed, leading to 2019 general elections, to reposition the continuous role of members of the NYSC and academics, to open avenues for additional groups of professionals, like engineers, doctors, journalists, among others, to join academics.”

    Prof. Bello expressed delight at the gesture of the Muslim community, saying he was proud to be a member of the institution’s Muslim community.

    He said: “As Muslims, we have the obligation of doing all we have to do according to the Islamic tenets and the will of Allah. We must be vanguards and good ambassadors of Islam at all times.”