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Tag: Emeka Ononamadu

  • Polls: REC commends security agencies’ conduct in Enugu

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, has hailed the synergy between security agencies and INEC during the general elections.

    Ononamadu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday that security breach during the elections was negligible, attributing the situation to the cooperation of security agencies.

    NAN reports that the joint security agencies for the election included  the army, air force, police and Department of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    The others are Federal Road Safety Corps, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Prisons Service, Federal Fire Service and State Vigilant Services.

    Ononamadu said that  security breach during the entire election period “is just about two per cent’’.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi coasts to victory in Enugu

    According to him, the cooperation and unity-of-purpose shown by the joint security agencies is unprecedented.

    “The set of security personnel that participated in the general elections  in the state lived up to expectations.

    “They displayed a high sense of professionalism, which must be appreciated by INEC.

    “It is of late we had little security skirmishes in some rural areas, which is  negligible anyway.

    “ I am quite impressed in their general conduct,’’ he said.

    The REC said that the agencies contributed greatly to the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections in Enugu State.

    NAN

     

  • Election shift: INEC Enugu retrieves materials

    The Enugu state Resident Electoral Commissioner,(REC) Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, has hinted  that all sensitive materials already distributed in the 17 council areas of the state would be retrieved.

    According to him, after retrieving them, the materials would be  returned to the custody of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch in Enugu, the state capital.

    The REC, disclosed  this to reporters  during a press conference held at the INEC headquarters in Enugu, adding that “we have been directed to return all the sensitive materials to the CBN, Enugu.

    “And the process is already on as I am briefing you now under heavy armed security to ensure that integrity of the materials will be ensured.”

    Read Also: Enugu: 1000 youths for recruitment in Clean Team Project

    He said: “It will be in the protective custody of the CBN, under heavy security presence, until Wednesday when it will be escorted by the same security personnel back the council headquarters.

    “While in the following day, beginning from Thursday, the sensitive materials will be moved to the Registration Area Centres (RAC) under heavy security as well.”

    Ononamadu, assured residents of the State of the integrity of the electoral materials especially the sensitive materials – ballot papers, its accessories and result sheets.

    He, however, regretted the postponement and inconveniences it might have caused  Nigerians and other major stakeholders, stressing that the decision was taken to protect Nigeria’s  democracy.

    “It is a painful decision but one that must be taken to ensure integrity, a free and fair process,’’ he said.

    The Enugu REC, noted that few lapses observed in the commission’s work in the state would be corrected before Saturday, revealing that over 1.7 million Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) had been collected so far among the 1.9 million registered voters in the state.

    He added that “I will urge the residents of the state to keep faith with the commission as we are poised to organise a credible, fair and free elections come Feb. 23.’’

  • INEC express worry over uncollected 500,000 PVC’s in Enugu

    Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC )in Enugu State has expressed worry over uncollected 500,000 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) in the state.

    Ononamdu disclosed that only 600,000 of the 1.1 million PVCs had so far been collected by the electorates in the state.

    He made the observation during the National Orientation Agency’s campaign against invalid (void) votes held in Enugu on Thursday.

    According to him, it is worrisome that 500,000 PVC’s are yet to be collected barely six weeks to the general elections.

    The REC said the reason for the development could be attributed to the notion that electorates votes did not count.

    “Please dispel any rumour that your votes will not count and as such, you have made it a reason not to collect your PVC and use it during election.

    “I can categorically tell you that INEC has put in place adequate measures to ensure that you excise your right and vote for your choice person without being robbed of such vote.

    “One of such measures is the use of smart card readers which will help guide against issues such as ballot snatching and rigging hitherto rampant before.

    “It is for this reason that politicians are not jostling to buy your PVC’s because vote snatching and rigging has been curtailed with the introduction of smart card readers.

    Read Also: Congo presidential loser rejects surprise result as ‘coup’

    “That is why there were no cases of ballot snatching and rigging during the Osun and Ekiti elections but the issue of vote buying,” he said.

    Ononamadu hinted that INEC would embark on a weeklong aggressive campaign from Jan. 16 to ensure that all PVC’s at its disposal were collected.

    The REC disclosed that there would be over 4,000 voting locations and 2,958 polling units in the 260 electoral wards spread across the 17 local government areas of the state.

    Moreso, he noted, that INEC Enugu has made provision for 6,000 smart card readers to adequately cover all the voting locations and minimize error or malfunctioning as against 4,000 needed for the state.

  • European Centre trains 100 INEC staff in South-East

    The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) says it is training over 100 Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) staff in the South-East on Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC).

    Declaring the workshop open on Thursday in Enugu, the Senior Legal Expert of ECES, Ms Maria-Teresa Mauro, said the aim of the EMSC workshop was to enshrine credible, free and fair elections.

    Mauro said that EMSC was an effective tool INEC required to manage field assets, resources, constituencies and a chain of electoral activities needed in the organization of elections.

    According to her, it is also an innovative way to monitor electoral plans and implementation of electoral activities that could assist INEC in evaluating its readiness for an election and assist accordingly.

    “The workshop goals include to provide better understanding of the EMSC concept, goals and objectives, ensure better understanding of timeliness, activities and reporting frequencies.

    “To sensitize implementers on ESMC operational structure, roles and responsibilities in the management of state EMSC secretariat,’’ she said.

    The ECES officer said it would also build capacity of implementers on the use of data collection and reporting tools, validation process and general usage of EMSC platform.

    Read Also: INEC to deploy one million personnel for poll

    Mauro noted that the workshop would provide participants with requisite knowledge and sensitize them on their expected roles before, during and after elections, thereby laying a solid foundation towards the conduct of credible elections in 2019.

    In an address, the Secretary of the center, Mr Jameel Elyaqub, explained that the EMSC indicators were meant to assist task owners and managers as well as supervisors to monitor and track compliance, election readiness, performance and threats/risks to election plan.

    He said that the exercise was to maintain the quality and credibility of the electoral processes.

    In his goodwill message, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Enugu State, urged participants to utilize the gains of the training during the general elections.

    “We have very experienced staff in INEC, however, there is a danger because of the multiple innovation introduced by INEC headquarters already.

    “So, due to new innovations, we must open our minds to absorb these fresh ideas.

    “We cannot keep recycling our old ways of doing things and expect a different result. We must embrace innovations and change to get more positive results and outcomes from our elections,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the INEC’s staff, who are participating at the two-day workshop, are drawn from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

  • INEC, Wike disagree over failed Rivers by-election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would be partnering with the business community in Enugu State to ensure a hitch-free 2019 General Elections in the state.

    INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, said this in Enugu during INEC’s meeting with major stakeholders in the business community in Enugu State.

    Ononamadu noted that the business community had a high stake in elections, as outcomes of elections or governance affect businesses directly or indirectly.

    “If there is any tension in the land during election as an outcome of irregularities and disagreements, the business community suffers the impact most and if it is in the reverse where there is credible election and good governance the business community reap most of the dividends,’’ he said.

    The REC noted that it was in the best interest of INEC to expose and enlighten the business community on its roles in order to support INEC ensure a credible and smooth elections.

    “For instance, the commission needed the business community in the area of transportation of its staff and materials on time on the D-Days of the elections.

    Read Also: INEC, Wike disagree over failed Rivers by-election

    “We also need the business community to mobilize their members to register in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) and collection of their Permanent Voters Cards.

    “Also, for your members to conduct themselves in a professional manner, come out en mass to vote and not engaging in the recent negative trend of vote buying and vote selling,’’ he said.

    Ononamdu noted that INEC had taken its advocacy and CVR registration to banks, markets, communities and other public places in the state to ensure it carried everybody along in the electoral process leading to the 2019 General Elections.

    Director-General of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr Emeka Okereke lauded INEC for being pro-active and doing wider consultations ahead of the elections.

    “I believe this wider consultation with various stakeholders will bear much fruit and make the electoral process and election more acceptable, credible and hitch-free, as each individual, group and stakeholder understand his role and play it faithful,’’ Okereke said.

    The state Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Matthew Asogwa, noted that the union had been working hand-in-hand with INEC before now, adding that it managed the transportation arrange of INEC in 2015 General Elections in the state.

    “We have earlier mandated our members to register for CVR, collect their PVCs and ultimately ensure they vote on the D-Day.

    The NURTW is also inviting INEC to its meeting on Aug. 29; for the commission to use the avenue to enlighten our members the more and answer questions that are bothering them concerning the forthcoming elections,’’ Asogwa said.

    Leaders of various market associations and unions as well as department stores in the state attended the meeting.

  • INEC seeks partnership with stakeholders for successful, credible elections

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed for partnership of election stakeholders to achieve a successful, fair and credible in the forthcoming 2019 General Elections.

    INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, made the appeal in Enugu on Friday while officially issuing the Notice of Election and commencement of electoral activities for 2019 General Elections to stakeholders.

    The stakeholders present at the issuing of the notice of election included: political parties, the media, traditional rulers, business community, transport unions, security agencies and electorates.

    Ononamadu said that the essence of issuing out the notice on time was to allow stakeholders in the electoral process to prepare early enough; adding that with the recent move, the issue of discrepancies in the timetable had been laid to rest.

    According to him, with the notice of election, the coast is clear for INEC to conduct a successful 2019 General Election.

    “In terms of administrative plans, we are ready for the election. We have notified the people especially our stakeholders that the dice is cast.

    “INEC is committed as a matter of patriotism to better the electoral process come 2019; even as our staff had braced-up for greater dedication and more work.

    “INEC offices are open to the public including the media to seek information on any aspect of the commission’s preparation as well as make valid inquires and complaints,’’ he said.

    Ononamadu noted that INEC recently shifted the date for the closure of the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) to Aug. 30 to accommodate more Nigerians willing to register.

    Read Also: APC to INEC: investigate PDP’s plan to rig elections

    On internal preparation of the Enugu State INEC office, he said that virtually all staff including cleaners in the commission had been given training on the electoral process, how registration is done and other specialty of different departments.

    “We have up-graded our ICT centre and made it more conducive for staff to spend hours working there; built a drivers office lot and run a 24-hour hotline centre,’’he said.

    Responding, Comrade Austin Okonkwo, who spoke on behalf of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), commended INEC for the progress made in the ongoing CVR in the state as well as releasing the election time-table on time.

    “With early preparation and consultation with critical stakeholders, I know we are going to have a free, fair and credible elections in 2019,’’ Okonkwo said.

    Speaking, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, lauded the REC for his innovation and hard work to ensure that more residents register in the ongoing CVR and collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

    Agubuzu, who lauded INEC for extending the CVR for two weeks, urged residents of the state that are eligible but have not registered to use the two weeks of grace to do that as well as ensure they collect their PVCs.

    “We have seen the hard work and innovation the REC, Ononamadu, had brought to Enugu State; thus, making the state to make much progress in the ongoing CVR registration and PVCs collection.

    “I appeal to our people to vote on the D-Day and ensure that credible leaders continue to lead the state and nation for us to get the development we deserve,’’ he said.

    The highpoints of the event was the unveiling of the time-table posters and its pasting in strategic locations and billboards of the commission.

    In the 2019 General Elections Time-table, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on Feb. 16, 2019; while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will be held on March 2.

  • ‘Don’t campaign under guise of voter education’-INEC tells politicians

    ‘Don’t campaign under guise of voter education’-INEC tells politicians

    The Independent National Electoral Commission  ( INEC ) has urged politicians in the country not to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to campaign.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu, gave the caution in Enugu on Thursday while speaking with the Reporter.

    “The government should play by the rules. You do not campaign under the guise of mobilisation when INEC has not lifted the ban on campaign.

    “Government should continue to work towards realizing free, credible and transparent election and no one should position or look for undue advantage,” Ononamadu said.

    The REC said that the government also had a role to play in order to guarantee credible polls, adding that they needed to play by the rules when mobilising the electorate for the CVR.

    Ononamadu stressed the need for the electorate in the state to take the exercise more seriously.

    He said that the exercise had provided an ample opportunity for residents of the state to take their destinies into their hands.

    “The CVR is catching up well in Enugu State but we need to do better. People have started coming up in their numbers since the beginning of this year.

    Read Also: Cost of 2019 election not ready, says INEC boss

    “I think Enugu people will need to buckle up. This is an ample opportunity that has been provided to citizens by INEC as required by law,” he said.

    The REC said that the commission had been sensitizing the electorates on the need to register in order to perform their civic responsibilities.

    According to him, we used the yuletide to reach out to people in rural areas as well as in churches.

    Ononamadu noted that people were beginning to have a renewed confidence in the electoral umpire due to its excellent conducts in recent outings.

    He said that the exercise had been violent free in the state, adding that it was continuous and would stop 60 days before any general election according to the law.

    “When we started people were not too sure whether it was going to work or not but today they have seen that INEC is serious in terms of implementing its entire statutory mandate,” he said.

    Ononamadu, however, said that it was sad that people were still suspecting whether or not their vote would count.

    “I wonder what gave them that illusion because INEC had demonstrated in strong terms and statements that we are here to protect the mandate of Nigerians and that is what we shall do,” he said.

    He said that the commission had intensified efforts to sensitise residents of the state with a view to either registering or picking up their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    He said that the state had 1.6 million voting strength based on the ongoing registration, adding that about 127, 000 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) had yet to be collected.

    NAN