The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Elections Postponement

  • 2019: Over 10m PVCs collected so far – INEC

    Over 10 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have so far been collected, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said.

    Over 14 million new registered voters were added onto the voter register since after the 2015 general elections.

    The PVCs are to be used for voting in the general elections which commence on Saturday with the presidential and National Assembly elections, while the governorship State Assembly and FCT council polls comes up on the 9th of March, 2019.

    Read Also: Polls: Again, FG reads riot act to INEC

    The polls were earlier scheduled for 16th February and 2nd March 2019 but was however rescheduled following the inability of the commission to successfully execute its logistics arrangement.

    Full story shortly…

  • Police prosecute 600 electoral offenders in Kano

    Over 600 hoodlums have been prosecuted in Kano electoral- related crimes, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Wakil has stated.

    Wakili, who spoke during an interactive session with reporters at the Command headquarters, added his men arrested over 780 suspects in connection to alleged electoral violence and political thuggery in the state.

    According to him, the command is determined to ensure the conduct of peaceful rescheduled elections.

    He said the rate at which youths were turned into political thugs was very alarming, especially at this moment of electioneering.

    He stated: “we have arrested over 780 youths and suspected bandits who are being used as political thugs.

    “These criminal elements also engage in pick-pockets, harassment of innocent citizens who they waylay and snatch their phones and other personal belongings.’’

    Wakili noted over 600 out of the suspects have been prosecuted, adding that arrangements have been concluded to arraign others.

    “We are serious on this mission to stamp out thuggery from Kano politics.

    Read Also: Police parade 63 suspects over pre-electoral violence in A’Ibom

    “We are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that Kano remains peaceful before, during and after the general elections.

    “I call on parents and political leaders to guide their wards and followers. It is no fun for us arresting these youths, but they should obey the law and become good ambassadors of the society,” he stated.

    He maintained that the Police in the state had embarked on special operations aimed at curtailing the menace of drug abuse in Kano.

    According to him: “We have also declared total war against drug dealers and users because drug abuse is the major catalyst that drives these youths crazy and lead them into committing all sorts of crimes.”

    He urged parents, guardians, community and religious leaders to collaborate with the Police and other security agencies aimed at addressing the challenges of drug abuse in Kano.

  • Court asked to reverse INEC’s ban on campaigns

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to declare unlawful the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that political parties could no longer campaign despite its postponement of elections.

    The request is contained in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/206/2019, filed by the Action People’s Party (APP).

    The plaintiff argued that by virtue of “the combined effect of the mandatory statutory provisions of Sections 99(1), 100(1) and 101(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended)” INEC could not validly bar campaigns by registered political parties for the 2019 general election before a period earlier than 24 hours prior to the date of the election”.

    It wants the court to determine, “Whether by Sections 99(1), 100(1) and 101(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended) the announcement, directive or order by INEC directing registered political parties, including the APP, to stop or end their campaign for the 2019 General Elections on February 14, 2019 for polls that will hold on February 23, 2019 is not ultra vires its powers, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever”.

    Read Also: Court insists on Imo APC Exco’s legitimacy

    In the substantive suit, the plaintiff sought among others, “A declaration that INEC cannot issue any directive or make any order stopping, barring or ending campaign by registered political parties, including the APP, for the 2019 General Elections to a period other than 24 hours prior to the date of the elections;

    “A declaration that the announcement, directive or order by INEC directing political parties, including the APP, to stop or end their campaign for the 2019 General Elections on February 14, 2019 for polls that will hold on February 23, 2019 is ultra vires its powers, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever; and

    “A declaration that in view of the postponement of the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections till February 23, 2019, APP Party and indeed all registered political parties in Nigeria are legally entitled, pursuant to Sections 99(1), 100(1) and 101(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended), to resume forthwith and/or recommence campaign until February 21, 2019 been 24 hours prior the date of the election.”

    In an ex-parte application of urgency filed with the suit, the plaintiff wants an order of injunction restraining the defendant from stopping, ending or in any other manner whatsoever giving effect to the directive or order purported ending or stopping campaign by political parties for the 2019 general elections on February 14, 2019 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

    The suit, filed on Monday, is yet to be assigned for hearing.

  • Elections postponement: Delta stakeholders react

    Various reactions have continued to trail the postponement of this year’s elections, most of which have been a disapproval of the decision of the electoral umpire.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in the early hours of Saturday, the day for both the presidential and National Assembly elections, announced the postponement of the elections, citing inadequate preparations.

    In separate statements and chats with the Nation on Sunday, the former governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorogun O’tega Emerhor; legal luminary, Chief Albert Akpomudje (SAN); and Urhobo youth leader, Hon Morris Idiovwa, all condemned the postponement of the elections.

    Dr Uduaghan, who is also the APC candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District election, the development met his as a shock, noting that Nigerians from various economic and social backgrounds, especially those from the Niger Delta where the terrains are most difficult, had expended huge resources to access their various communities to be part of the elections.

    “I received with utmost discontentment and displeasure at about 3 a.m. today the 16th of February, 2019 amidst teeming supporters who kept wake with me the “breaking news” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its resolution to shift the Presidential/National Assembly Elections to Saturday, 23rd February, 2019.

    “My party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has already come out with a statement.

    “However, I wish to use this opportunity to thank my teeming supporters in Delta South Senatorial District who despite the difficult terrain mobilized to vote me as the senator representing Delta South in the red chambers. To you my brothers and sisters who left all their personal schedule, spent their personal money, time, resources, travelled long distance just to vote for me and my party, I truly appreciate your kind gesture.

    “We shall continue to be focused on the legislative issues that will bring permanent peace, faster and more robust infrastructure and human capital development in Delta South and by extension the Niger Delta. Like we have stated severally, this will include. I wish to appeal and plead with my teeming supporters to be calm, patient, keep hope alive and be more resolute to vote the APC come Saturday, 23rd February, 2019”, he said.

    In his response, Olorogun Emerhor, who is also the leader of the Mainstream APC in the state, said though the postponement was disappointing, there must be a genuine reason for it, expressing hope that the INEC would ensure a tidier preparation for the elections on the rescheduled dates.

    “We are all disappointed, but anything worth doing is worth doing well. I’m trusting that INEC has a genuine reason for the postponement. There have been accusations up and down but we hope that the postponement allows for a fair and credible elections. I also hope that they are putting things in place to ensure that materials that are distributed are protected and don’t fall into wrong hands”, he said.

    Legal luminary, Chief Akpomudje (SAN) said the development had cast doubts on the readiness and capability of the INEC to conduct the polls, describing the shift in the election dates as national disgrace.

    “Am sad and confused with the news this morning of the postponement of the election. There is the provision in the constitution for postponement of election, but the timing just few hours to the voting is worrisome. My fear is that is INEC ready for the election? If the answer is negative what becomes the faith of Nigerians. This is a national disgrace”, Akpomudje said.

    Also speaking, an Urhobo youth leader, Hon Morris Idiovwa, described the development as disappointing and cowardly, warning that any attempt to rig the election in favour of the ruling party would be resisted.

    “The development is highly disappointing and suspect, to say the least. Where are we to start counting the losses and the bad faith of the government behind this from? People have invested their resources and risked their lives by traveling and closing their businesses in anticipation of this election and the chairman of the INEC was so cowardly he waited till the morning of the election before announcing the postponement. I think will have to add my voice to those who have called for his resignation or sack.

    “We want a free, fair and credible election and we want it done, fitting into what is obtainable in any civilised nation. We have learnt that this postponement may have something to do with giving the ruling party an undue advantage over the opposition parties, we will reject any untoward and manipulated outcome of all the elections this year”, Idiovwa said.

  • Election postponement: NLC demand public holiday

    … warn Workers against voter apathy

     

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked government to declare a two or three-day public holiday to enable workers travel to perform their civic responsibility in the face of imminent voter apathy as a result of the shift in the date of the general elections.

    The Congress also asked Nigerians especially workers not to be disillusioned with the postponement of the elections, but the go all out and cast their vote, saying the postponement of the election was a better evil than disenfranchising several millions of Nigerians.

    President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said in a statement that from evidence available, many people would have been able to cast their vote as a result of logistics problems if the election had been allowed to go ahead.

    Wabba said: “We at the Nigerian Labour Congress join other Nigerians in expressing our shock at the last minute postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 16, 2019.

    “We share in the pains of those who in an uncommon show of patriotism, had to travel long distances to perform their civic duty. We similarly understand the outrage of those who had incurred huge and unquantifiable logistic costs. No explanation will be good enough given INEC’s repeated assurances and the zeal of Nigerians to cast their vote.

    “However, given the fact that had the election taken place, a huge number of Nigerians would have been disenfranchised on account of gross and wide-spread logistic deficit, the postponement, as painful as it is, is a lesser evil of the two.

    “In light of this, we enjoin all Nigerians to quickly put behind them this ugly incident and brace up for the rescheduled election next weekend. In spite of the huge costs to them, we call on all Nigerians to self-mobilise on the same scale that they did the previous weekend.

    “Let them not be disillusioned or react to this postponement in a manner that will create voter-apathy. This will certainly be counterproductive and will in the long run work against the interests of the electorate.

    “We call on institutions to be flexible with their staff to enable them travel in good time to perform this important civic duty even if it means government declaring a day or two public holiday to achieve this.

    “As for INEC, we do hope they have learnt their lesson. On no account ever again, should they allow this to happen. All effort and expertise must be deployed by INEC to guarantee free, fair and credible elections. We appeal to all Nigerians to put this incident behind them and go out en mass to vote next weekend.”