The Nation Newspaper

Tag: electoral offenders

  • Some electoral offenders in our custody, says DIG

    Some electoral offenders in our custody, says DIG

    • ‘Tactical teams have also been put on red alert to forestall any act capable of causing breach of public peace’

    Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police for last Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, Alabi Abiodun, yesterday confirmed the arrest of some electoral offenders during the poll.

    According to the police chief, pockets of incidences recorded during the election were inconsequential as security agents deployed were able to effectively take charge of the situations.

    Speaking in a post-election briefing, Abiodun said electoral activities, from the initial stages of preparations to the final announcement of results, were secured with the highest level of integrity and professionalism by security agencies.

    He said security agencies and stakeholders ensured that the process was peaceful, free and credible.

    Abiodun stated that the public engagement lend credence to the electoral process and underpinned the foundation of the country.

    He said: “I want to assure you of the continuous involvement of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure total serenity till the end and even after the election process.

    “We have deployed more security operatives across the state to monitor and protect every area even after the electoral process, for the maintenance of law and other, as the police and other security agencies will not allow any post-election ugly incident in any part of the state.

    Read Also: Why Okowa is in EFCC custody

    “Tactical teams have also been put on red alert to forestall any act capable of causing breach of public peace.

    “Our work does not end here; we will continue to advocate for a transparent electoral process and foster an environment where democracy can thrive.

    “I urge all citizens to come together in a spirit of unity and cooperation. As we forge ahead, let us embrace our shared values and work collectively towards the betterment of our nation.

    “Our strength lies in our ability to unite, regardless of our differences, and to support the democratic process that binds us together.”

  • Prosecute electoral offenders before Kogi, Bayelsa polls – CSOs

    Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for the prosecution of perpetrators of violence during the 2019 general election to serve as deterrent to others wishing to indulge in such act, ahead of Kogi and Bayelsa Nov. 2 governorship elections.

    The CSOs under the auspices of Nigerian Elections Violence Report (NEVR), made the call after evaluating the conduct of elections in the six South–South states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta and Rivers.

    A statement issued on Monday by leader of the group and Executive Director, Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), Dr Uduak Okon, noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be proactive in dealing with issues of security during elections, if it must conduct credible polls in the future.

    Okon regretted that the heavy presence of armed gangs in the South-South facilitated violence during the recently concluded elections.

    “Perpetrators of violence must be prosecuted thoroughly to deter future perpetrators from carrying out acts of violence during elections.

    “That the law against cultism and other gang related offences should be revitalised and perpetrator made to face the law.

    “Individuals identified as cultists and who support and fund armed gangs should not be given political appointments and other public positions of trust as they utilise them during election season,” Okon said.

    According to her, the behavior of partisan security forces and violence around collation centres must be resolved before the next set of polls to reduce the scope of violence during elections.

    “Military and police personnel working on election security on election day should be properly tagged for easy identification because ‘men in uniform’ use their ‘authority’ to assist different politicians from different political parties to intimidate perceived opponents of their ‘pay masters.

    “All persons engaged as staff or ad-hoc staff of INEC and security operatives must undertake oath of neutrality in line with Section 28 of the Electoral Act and must be seen to be neutral,” she added.

    She said that YAF and its partners, with support from International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) would ensure that persons who are partisan and lie on oath must be charged to court for perjury.

    Okon also urged INEC to resolve the issues surrounding logistics especially the late delivery of election materials to curb incidences of election malpractice.

    She added: “The NEVR project aimed to increase public knowledge and awareness on the dangers of election violence, and increase participation and involvement of election stakeholders in the mitigation and prevention of election violence.”

    Social Development Integrated Centre (Rivers), Edo Civil Society Organisation (Edo), Foundation for Non-Violent Social Change (Delta), Nembe City Development Foundation (Bayelsa) and The Bridge Leadership Foundation (Cross River) are the other groups that participated in the assessment.

    NAN

  • NGO calls for prosecution of electoral offenders

    A civil society organisation, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA Africa), has called for the prosecution of perpetrators violence during the supplementary elections.

    It said the non-compliance with electoral guidelines, intimidation of voters and observers, violence and voter suppression in some states impeded on the integrity of the exercise.

    In a statement by YIAGA Africa’s Watching the Vote (WTV) Working Group Chair Dr. Hussaini Abdu and Executive Director Samson Itodo, the group said it deployed 264 observers to 311 polling units in the 98 Local Government Areas (LGA) where supplementary elections were held.

    It also sent 95 observers to 95 LGA results collation centres in the five states, namely Bauchi Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto.

    YIAGA Africa questioned the credibility of some results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in polling units and LGA collation centres where observers and voters were allegedly chased away by thugs and police officers.

    It said: “The level of impunity observed in the supplementary elections is an indication of democratic recession in Nigeria. Political thugs unleashed violence and terror on unarmed voters, INEC officials and citizens without any form of restraint or reprimand from security agencies deployed for the elections…

    “Nigeria cannot continue to condone this brazen disregard for law and order by political actors. As a country determined to make progress, electoral impunity must be checkmated else it will imperil our 20 year old democracy.”

    Calling for the prosecution of offenders, the group said: “Several electoral offences were observed and reported by WTV observers and other domestic and international observer groups.

    “We urge INEC and Nigerian police to properly investigate cases of infractions and ensure diligent prosecution of electoral offenders.

    “INEC and the police should extend the investigation to reports of complicity and collusion of its staff to compromise to the process.”

    Read also: FMDQ to banks: hedge dollar-based loans

    YIAGA Africa praised INEC for “improved management of election logistics and timely deployment for the elections”.

    “We urge INEC to make concerted efforts to vacate the substituting court order restraining it from concluding the elections in Adamawa and Bauchi states.

    “YIAGA Africa calls on all stakeholders to reclaim our democracy by demanding accountability against all state and non-actors whose act undermined the electoral process,” the group said.

     

  • Kano rerun: Prosecute electoral offenders, observers tell INEC

    The coalition of 18 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) national and international observers has called on INEC to collaborate with the police to investigate electoral offenders and apply measures to sanction any person of group of persons found culpable.

    The leader of the group, Dr. Ibrahim Baba of Center for Intervention who spoke on behalf of others, on Monday in Kano, noted any person or group of persons found to be involved in such electoral offences should be punished to serve as deterrence to others.

    Baba added that following reports of election-related violence and intimidation, the overall political climate in the state during the rerun election remained peaceful and conducive for the conduct of democratic elections.

    According to him: “The collaborative relationship between INEC and Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCS), contributed to the generally peaceful atmosphere in the state.

    Read also: INEC resumes collation of Bauchi governorship poll result

    “We give kudos to the security agencies for maintaining the highest level of professionalism before, during and after the conduct of the supplementary election.”

    The group called on the winners and losers to respect the rule of law and caution their supporters to remain peaceful and law abiding.

    They called on politicians to refrain from disseminating false information and channel their electoral complaints and grievances through established legal processes.

  • Bayelsa to police: prosecute arrested electoral offenders

    The Bayelsa State Government has appealed to the police to prosecute persons arrested for various electoral offenses during the last general elections.

    The government in a statement signed by the Special Adviser II to the Governor on Security Matters and retired Commissioner of Police, Mr. Akpoebi Agberebi, said a particular politician and his driver were arrested by the police on February 26.

    He said the politician and his driver were nabbed for being in possession of multiple Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and other electoral materials.

    READ ALSO: Army arrests 20 electoral offenders in Rivers, Abia

    He wondered why the police had kept sealed lips on the arrest adding that the state police command has a responsibility not to overlook brazen act of criminality against the state.

    Agberebi explained that operatives of the command on February 26 intercepted a Lexus Saloon car with a registration number Lagos BDG 809 EX conveying the PVCs and the electoral materials.

    He said the operatives impounded the materials, arrested the vehicle, its owner and the driver for interrogation and further investigations.

    He gave the identity of the suspects as one of the state constituencies in Yenagoa and his driver adding that the suspects volunteered written statements on the items in their possession.

    He said: “The government position is that the police should not sweep this violation of the electoral law under the carpet. The police should promptly charge the two suspects to court as only such step would prevent desperate politicians from further violating the laws of the land”.

  • Electoral offenders held in Rivers, Abia

    The Army yesterday said it arrested about 20 persons in Rivers, Imo and Abia States for electoral offences.

    The spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, said the Army worked with other security agencies to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the elections.

    A statement in Abuja said despite the risk to the lives of soldiers, especially in Rivers, they prevented thugs, kidnappers and ballot box snatchers from having a field day during elections.

    He said: “During the elections, the Army supported the police to ensure a secure and peaceful conduct. Despite pockets of crisis witnessed in few states, the election was secure and peaceful.

    “To achieve this, the Army with other security agencies struggled to checkmate criminals, kidnappers, political thugs, ballot box snatchers from perpetuating their acts, in some instances at the detriment of soldiers’ lives, as witnessed in Abonema and Andoni in Rivers State.

    “Around Everyday supermarket in Owerri, Imo State, four impostors in military uniform (Woodland camouflage) – Chinedu Odogwu, Longinus Okelue, Oguzie Princewell and Kelvin Samalia – were arrested while escorting a prominent female politician in a party vehicle.

    “This development further reaffirmed the Army’s earlier warning against the activities of unscrupulous individuals who sponsor thugs to deepen and further their selfish political objectives.

    “34 Brigade troops on Operation Safe Conduct deployed around Osisioma junction, Abia State, also arrested Mr. Allwell Enwereji and five others conveying already thumb printed ballot papers in his vehicle. Enwereji claimed the ballot papers were specimens for campaign. Investigation is on to ascertain the culpability of the suspects.

    “Similarly, troops on patrol around power plant substation Odukpani LGA, in Cross River State rescued Mr. Authur Nkama, who was kidnapped at Ikot Ansa, in Calabar Municipal Area Council, Cross River State.

    “Troops also intercepted and arrested suspected ballot box snatchers at Air force junction near Ngor Okpala council in Imo State on March 9. On sighting the troops, the suspects abandoned their vehicle and ran into the bush. Items recovered included one Sienna bus, a pump action gun with 11 live cartridge, voters’ cards and assorted ATM cards.

    “Troops also rescued officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) abducted at Ohafia Technical College in Anna Village, Abia State, on March 9. Four of the suspects have been arrested and efforts are on to apprehend others. The suspects have been handed over to the police for further action.

    “Five political thugs were nabbed at Lokpanta, on March 9 while on their way to disrupt election in Lekwesi community, Abia State. Items recovered from them include camouflage trousers, daggers and assorted charms.”

  • Electoral offenders should be punished, Ohanaeze insists

    •‘Results should reflect votes’

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on the Federal Government to arrest soldiers and security agents who aided rigging in some parts of the country.

    The organisation recalled that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) promised that soldiers would be neutral in the election “but we are disturbed by reports that soldiers aided and abetted rigging in some states like Bayelsa, Rivers and others. This is unacceptable and must be addressed.”

    Ohanaeze’s call was contained in statement by its deputy spokesman, Chuks Ibegbu. It urged the Inspector General of Police (IG), and the Lagos State Police Command to arrest and prosecute hoodlums who attacked Igbo traders in Oshodi.

    Read also: FRSC advises passengers to caution reckless drivers

    “This is barbarism at its extreme, and a threat to the country’s corporate existence. It must not be swept under the carpet, and whoever prodded the hoodlums to do that must be arrested.

    “Finally, Ohanaeze cautions INEC not to allow itself be bulldozed into thwarting the will of the people. Election results must reflect the voting at the polling units and not fictitious or manufactured figures. The world is watching.”

     

  • Punish electoral offenders

    The Awori Traditional Rulers and Awori Native Coalition (ANC) have urged the government to prosecute electoral offenders.

    A joint communique signed by Olota of Ota Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege and ANC President Oye Taiwo, said doing so will stem the tide of impunity in the system.

    According to them, the three-year imprisonment without option of fine as penalty for any electoral malpractices by electoral officials as provided in the constitution was not sufficient enough as a deterrent to prospective perpetrators.

    They called for a stiffer penalty. They noted that the on growing tendency towards political intolerance in the nation was anti-progress and enjoined politicians to “eschew politics of do or die affair.”

    Any politician who encouraged violence, they said, shall be cursed with the spirits of their ancestors.

    They warned electoral officials especially the ad-hoc workers to avoid falling into temptation of corrupt politicians.

     

     

  • Buhari seeks electoral offenders’ prosecution

    Buhari seeks electoral offenders’ prosecution

    •INEC boss promises to be guided by constitution, electoral law

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday advocated the prosecution of electoral offenders.

    The President, who spoke at the swearing-in of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and five national commissioners in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said it was not enough for election tribunals to cancel or order fresh elections.

    Said he: “Another area of concern is the justice administration of the electoral tribunals. Our justice system should address these shortcomings. It is not just enough for an election to be cancelled and a new one ordered.

    “It will be better if those whose actions or inactions led to the cancellation of such elections are investigated and if culpable, prosecuted, whether they are individuals as candidates or party agents, institutions, such as parties, electoral body, or public officers as electoral officials or security agents.

    “Perpetrators of electoral violence and thuggery should not be spared. Unless our system stops covering up electoral malpractices, we can hardly get it right. No system endures with impunity.”

    Promising to respect the independence of the commission, Buhari said his administration would not interfere with its operations.

    His words: “In the conduct of elections, we promised to respect the independence of our electoral body, INEC. We promised non-interference in its activities and we promised to encourage it to conduct free and fair elections. I pledge to keep the promises.”

    The President urged INEC not to allow itself to be influenced or subjected to outside forces’ control.

    He said: “You must respect the law. We will hold you bound by the oath you have taken. The country has reposed trust and confidence in you. You cannot afford to fail.”

    Buhari decried state’s electoral bodies, which hide under the cover of the technicality of law to deny citizens’ rights.

    He said: “I’m aware of Federal Government’s constitutional constraints in its engagement with the state’s electoral bodies. But the government has a social responsibility to protect the democratic rights of all.

    “I am of the view that it is unacceptable to hide under the cover of the technicality of law to deny citizens’ rights.”

    President Buhari said the Federal Government considered a different strategy of engagement with state governments on how to make state electoral commissions freer than many are today.

    Stressing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government promised Nigerians change, he said the change would be all- embracing.

    “It starts from change of attitude, change of work ethics, change in attitude to corruption and corrupt practices.”

    Buhari said the goalpost would not shift in the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, as the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act would be followed.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki, addressing State House correspondents, said the new team would not let the country down, noting that they gave a good account of themselves during their screening and confirmation.

    The commissioners, who took oath of office, were Mrs. Amina Zakari, Mr. Solomon Adedeji Soyebi, Prof. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbine, Dr. Muhammed Mustafa Lecky and Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo.

    Those in attendance included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

    Prof. Yakubu, has promised to be guided by the electoral act and the constitution in the discharge of his functions.

    Yakubu, who spoke on resumption yesterday after his inauguration by President Muhammadu Buhari, said: “I’m not sure this is difficult because the constitution is clear.

    “The roles and responsibilities of INEC are spelt out and the provisions of the electoral act are also clear.

    “Our responsibility is to ensure that in whatever we do, we are guided by the letter and spirit of the constitution. These, we are going to do with courage.

    “Whatever we need to do, we will ensure that this is done courageously and according to the law.”

    He promised to be just to all and never to fail the expectations of Nigerians in his new roles, saying he loved challenges.

    Yakubu added: “One of my bosses used to say that the public office has a tenure, a minimum of one day and a maximum of the tenure.

    “In the case of INEC, it is a minimum of one day and a maximum of five years. In between is the privilege to serve. We will never fail this nation.

    “We will be courageous in what we do, and we will be courageous and just to all we are supposed to serve.”  He pledged to build on the successes recorded by previous administrations, especially in the conduct of the last general election.

    “We have come a long way. We have had commendations locally and internationally, in the conduct of the 2015 general election.

    “As I said at the Senate screening, our responsibility as a new commission is to consolidate and add value.

    “Nations don’t make progress by starting afresh; nations make progress because there is a building block, which we now build more.”

    The INEC boss promised to go through the books handed over to him, which included local and international observers’ reports for implementation.

    He praised the outgoing Acting INEC Chairman Hajia Amina Zakari for holding the fort.

    Yakubu urged the cooperation and understanding of the commission’s officials as given to previous leaderships.

    Zakari said: “With the incoming commission’s officials, we are ready to conduct Kogi and Bayelsa elections.

    “We have not rested on our oars in the last four months. We have tried to maintain the services of INEC to the best of our ability.

    “We hope by the time the commission settles down, it will not be difficult to continue where we have stopped.”

  • 200 electoral offenders convicted, says INEC chief

    200 electoral offenders convicted, says INEC chief

    Only 200 of the over 1,000 electoral offenders arrested in 2011 have been jailed to deter others who specialise in rigging, electoral violence  and snatching of ballot boxes.

    More offenders, including some ad-hoc staff, will soon face trial because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is waiting for the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to set up a special prosecution team  for the 2015 elections.

    But INEC still has a backlog of 860,000 suspects who engaged in multiple registration before the 2011 general elections yet to be tried.

    Election petitions have reduced drastically from 1,650 in 2007 to 631 in 2015.

    Most of the 631 petitions arising from the conduct of the 2015 polls had been disposed of by Election Tribunals – according to INEC Acting Chairman Hajiya Amina Zakari in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

    She said the sharp drop in the number of petitions in 2015 was a testimony to the free and fair conduct of the last elections.

    Her words: “In 2011, we prosecuted up to 200 persons; the police have given us a report on that.

    “ For 2015, a lot more are in police net. Investigations are going on; we haven’t heard about the prosecution yet.

    “ In fact, some of them are our ad-hoc staff, so, we wait for the report. I know that the last Inspector-General of Police set up a special prosecution team  for the 2015 elections. So, we’ll await their report.”

    But INEC. still have a backlog of 860,000 suspects who engaged in multiple registration before the 2011 general elections yet to be tried.

    A 2013 report by Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung, obtained yesterday by our correspondent, said INEC lacked the capacity to put the multiple registrants and electoral offenders  on trial.

    The report said: “Most electoral offenders are also not prosecuted because INEC has less than 100 legal officers serving the headquarters , the 36 state offices and the Federal Capital Territory( FCT). And it does not have the capacity and resources to prosecute offences committed in 119,973 polling units, 8,809 wards, 360 federal constituencies, 109 senatorial districts and 774 local government areas.

    “It is more difficult to see how legal officers of the commission will prosecute about 870,000 cases of multiple registrations detected by INEC during the 2011 Voters Registration Exercise.

    “Because offenders are hardly prosecuted and some get away with impunity on account of their political affiliation, impunity is recycled, people disengage from the electoral process on account  of fraud and violence, and the credibility of the electoral process is called to question.”

    On election petitions, Hajiya Zakari said: “We have witnessed a decline in petitions by candidates. In 2007, the commission had to cope with over 1,650 petitions, but in 2011, the number dropped to about 720.

    “Our records show that we have 631 petitions arising from the 2015 polls and most of these have been disposed of by the relevant tribunals. The petitions are reducing because of the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. The free and fair conduct of the 2015 polls has assisted in the drop in the number of the petitions.”

    On the forthcoming Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, Hajiya Zakari said these might cost N1.2 billion.

    She said INEC might save cost because it still has some non-sensitive materials in stock.

    She added: “Normally, for governorship election, it costs us about N500-N600 million. This is all-inclusive, including payment of ad-hoc staff and the bulk of our cost is usually the payment of honorarium to ad–hoc staff.

    “But  we have some savings, we still have left-overs, non-sensitive materials from the 2015 elections  and we are not going to procure a lot, we  will just concentrate on procuring the sensitive materials

    Asked to be specific , Hajiya Zainab said: “For Kogi, I am still expecting the budget, but we have done the budget for CVR and PVC distributions, they were approved when there were enough members of the commission.

    “ For Bayelsa, we have to go back to the government for the budget. Nonetheless, we have started preparation;  we had preliminary meeting with the RECs last Wednesday to discuss modalities for Continuous Voters Registration (CVR). We have a work plan for the CVR, so we want to start early, then we would have a work plan for the elections.

    “We should soon get approval for Kogi, we would get a memo for Kogi and budget for Kogi but for Bayelsa, we have to go back to government because we had anticipated Bayelsa to be in next year’s budget but due to the timelines approved in the constitution, it’s better to prosecute the two elections this year. Next year, we take Ondo and Edo , so that we can have a paced process, so we don’t get inundated with too many elections like we did

    between 2011 and 2015.

    “We want to tidy up and ensure seamless delivery  of credible elections to Nigerians. The processes have started; we are comfortable. The Resident Electoral Commissioners( RECs) are already doing what they need to do  at a lower level.

    “ I have told the staff, there are soft issues you can do without money. You can begin preparations without money and while you are waiting for the core issues, but you can begin with soft preparations and this is the example of what we are doing. In fact, our timelines have not been derailed for any reason.”