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Tag: Francis Ezeonu

  • INEC shocks politicians with late swap of Collation Officers in Imo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State, on Saturday shocked politicians with the unannounced withdrawal of recruited Collation and Returning Officers at the tail end of the election.

    The Collation Officers who had converged at the INEC Headquarters in Owerri, waiting for deployment to the respective Local Government Areas, were not aware that they have been sacked until they were ordered out of the premises by security agents.

    It will be recalled that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, had accused the Adhoc Staff that worked during the Presidential and National Assembly elections of colluding with politicians to compromise the election.

    The REC disclosed during a media parley with journalists to review the Presidential and National Assembly elections that, “most of the Adhoc Staff compromised the election, most of them sold their appointment letters to politicians and switched off their phones. So we had disturbing situations where political thugs posed as Collation Officers and manipulated the results.

    “It is worrisome that one could sabotage such sensitive national assignment without considering the outcome but we have taken measures to ensure that it will repeat itself”.

    So the sudden sack of the Collation and Returning Officers who were recruited from the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) may not be unconnected to the measures taken to flush out the corrupt Adhoc Staff and ensure that the governorship and House of Assembly were not manipulated.

    The development however resulted in the late collation of results across the State as the new Collation Officers were not deployed to the respective Council Areas until 3am Sunday morning.

    The late arrival of the Collation Officers according to a reliable source within the Commission was a deliberate ploy to shield them from politicians who may be waiting hijack them.

    Meanwhile the drama started after the news filtered in that the Adhoc Staff from FUTO had been dropped and replaced with Staff from Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike.

    Shortly after the news was broken, politicians activated their plans. A particular governorship candidate using his contact, reached out to some of the new Adhoc Staff and thereafter there was heightened scramble by politicians to hijack the Collation Officers.

    While they were still waiting to be posted, another set of Adhos Staff from Nnmadi Azikiwe University Awka were driven into INEC Office under tight security.

    Immediately after that, those Staff earlier brought in from Abia State were ordered out of the premises by security agents at the order of the REC.

    The new set of Collation Officers were kept incommunicado and their phones temporarily seized to prevent any form of contact with politicians.

  • Imo: PDP wins Orlu-Orsu-Oru East federal constituency

    …as INEC reverses self

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (I NEC ) Monday reversed its earlier decision on Orlu-Orsu-Oru East Federal Constituency and declared the People’s Democratic Party candidate, Jerry Alagbaso winner.

    The Returning Officer, Professor Innocent Madufor, had earlier declared election in the Constituency inconclusive.

    But announcing the results Monday, the Returning Officer disclosed that the PDP candidate polled a total of 21,273 votes to defeat his closest rival of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edwin Iheanacho, who got 20, 061 votes.

    Explaining INEC’s decision to announce the result, despite declaring it inconclusive earlier, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, stated that the circumstances surrounding that prompted INEC’s earlier decision has been resolved.

    Read Also: INEC dismisses corruption allegations in Zamfara

    He disclosed that elections in some areas were declared inconclusive by the Returning Officer because Card Readers were not deployed.

    In his words, “we won’t go back to conduct fresh elections in those areas where Card Readers were not deployed because it is stipulated in the INEC guideline that in those areas where Card Readers were not deployed either as a result of violence or compromise, the result should be returned as zero”.

  • Election postponement: INEC retrieves sensitive materials in Imo

    The Imo State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Saturday  said it has commenced the retrieval of sensitive materials already deployed to Local Government Areas for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    INEC postponed the election few hours before the commencement of the exercise.
    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner,  Prof Francis Ezeonu, said the sensitive matterials will be retrieved and returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safekeeping, while awaiting further instructions.
    Meanwhile, anger and disappointment have continued to trail the postponement of the election in Imo State.
    Electorates who had traveled long distance to the respective places where they are registered to vote, expressed dismay over the timing of the postponement by INEC.

    Read Also: Buhari denies prior knowledge of INEC’s decision

    When our Correspondent visited one of the Polling Units in Owerri, a handful of voters were seen waiting for the arrival of INEC officials.
    One of the aggrieved voters, Mazi Chuks Ofulum, lampooned INEC for toying with the nation’s democracy.
    According to him, “INEC had over three years to prepare for this election but it did nothing instead it kept Nigerians false assurances that it was ready for the election. The most painful aspect is that it had to delay the announcement until people have travelled and cancelled all social and business engagements. Yhe loss is monumental”.
    Also expressing disappointment over the postponement, former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, stated that, “postponement does not go down well with any patriotic and right thinking citizen of this country”.
    Ohakim who is also the governorship candidate of the Accord party, advised INEC to take steps to  ensure that there won’t be further postponements.

  • INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials in Imo

    …stakeholders express worry over late commencement

     

    The distribution of sensitive materials for the Presidential and National Assembly elections started in Imo State at about 1.30pm on Friday.

    Stakeholders expressed worry that the delay in the commencement of the distribution of the materials may affect the conduct of Saturday’s election.

    But the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Francis Ezeonu, assured that voting will commence at scheduled time on the day of election.

    Read Also: In Imo, a crackdown on hardened criminals

    He said that the materials, despite the initial delay will arrive at the polling stations by 8am.

  • 70 battles for Imo governorship seat

    …Nwosu, Uzodinma, Araraume, Ihedioha lead pack

    …how the candidates stand

    *547,17 uncollected PVCs

     

    Seventy governorship candidates have gotten the nod of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) to contest the governorship election in Imo State, making it the state with the highest number of governorship candidates in the country.

    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Francis Ezeonu, disclosed this on Friday while briefing candidates and party Chieftains on the preparedness of the Commission.

    Ezeonu, disclosed that with barely two weeks to the commencement of the general elections, 547,017 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), were yet to be collected at the various INEC offices in the 27 Council Areas of the state.

    He urged those that are yet to collect their PVCs to do so before February 8 when the PVCs would be quarantined and the registrants denied access to them until after the general elections.

    Read Also: INEC clears Sanwo-Olu, Kashamu, Ogah, others

    According to Ezeonu in the meeting attended by INEC National Commissioner in charge of Imo and Abia States, Prof. Okey Ibeano, representatives of the Police, Air Force and other para- military Agencies, “Imo has 70 governorship candidates from various political parties contesting in the March 2, general elections, the highest in the country. We are number one here. God be the glory. We are appealing to the political parties to learn to do the right thing”.

    He continued that, “as at today the records show that there are 547,017 uncollected PVCs. This is not encouraging. On February 8, we will deposit them and quarantine them where no one will have access to them until after general elections.”

    Ezeonu, stated further that “there is an understanding with the accredited political parties agents, the security agencies and journalists to assemble at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on February 14, for distribution of sensitive materials to the 106 Registration Areas Camps (RACs), for quick distribution to polling units and voting points”, adding that restrictions would be enforced at the CBN premises.

    He also disclosed that the commission would supply the list of all the RACs and phone numbers to the public.

    In his speech, the National Commissioner for Imo and Abia, Prof Okey Ibeanu, stated that the Commission had received necessary funds to the tune of N189.2 billion as appropriated by the National Assembly for the conduct of the polls, disclosing that there were 120,000 polling units and 172 voting locations in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    His words: “We are ready. We have received all the funding required. We have made available all the PVCs, expecting 100 per cent collection but that is not the case. We have started receiving sensitive materials. They are being deposited at the CBN. Training of the Presiding Assistants and Presiding Officers is going on, ad hoc staff later. We have 106 RACs which will ensure that the Electoral Officers (EOs) will activate them.

    Ibeanu assured that accreditation of voters and voting will commence at 8am each voting day with the arrangement, using RACs system.

     

  • No voting with temporary voter card- INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), says no voter will be allowed to vote with the temporary voter card, in the forthcoming general elections.

    Prof. Francis Ezeonu, Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), made this known at an interactive meeting with religious bodies- members of the Christian and Muslim communities in Imo, on Tuesday in Owerri.

    He noted that the smart card reader which would be deployed for the elections was structured to read only the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) which has special features embedded on it with the voters’ personal information.

    Ezeonu, therefore, enjoined all who are yet to get their PVCs to go to their different wards from Jan. 16 to get their cards in order not to be disfranchised.

    “The smart card reader is expected to read the permanent voters card and once it could not read any card, the person will not be allowed to vote,” he said.

    Ezeonu said the interactive meeting with the religious bodies was part of INEC’s move to reach out to all segments of the society to brief them on the progress so far and get suggestions from them for a free, fair and credible elections.

    Read Also: 2019: INEC removes 2,500 dead persons from voters register

    He explained that 2.27 million voters were registered in Imo with over 630,000 PCVs yet to be collected.

    He urged the stakeholders to sensitise their members as INEC staff would visit the 305 electoral wards between Jan.16 and Jan. 21 to distribute the PVCs, adding that Feb. 8 is the last day for the distribution of the PVCs.

    On smart card reader malfunctioning, he explained that the Registration Area Technicians had been trained to regularly monitor the card readers and put them back to work as soon as possible.

    He said a form known as Form 60 E where each result of the election would be written would be pasted on the wall of buildings or trees for all to have access to, adding that all ballot papers not used would be cancelled immediately after election.

    Speaking, the representatives of the religious bodies advised INEC to ensure there was no problem between the collation of the results and transmission.

    They equally suggested full accreditation of voters before voting as against the simultaneous accreditation and voting stipulated by the electoral umpire.

    The Chairman, Muslim Council of Nigeria, Imo Chapter, Mr Yusuf Nwoha urged INEC to ensure it matched its plans with action- effective implementation- as well as spend money on sensitisation and encouragement of the electorate on PVC collection.

    “Imo at the moment is tensed up. The probability of miscreants fomenting trouble and disrupting the election progress should be checked. No election is worth the blood of any human being. INEC preparation is good, the problem is execution,” he said.

    Nwoha also advised INEC to check fake observers, malfunction of card readers as well as step up its operational strategy.

    Rev.Fr Innocent Osuagwu, who represented the Bishop of Owerri Archdioceses, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, enjoined the commission to ensure its staff exhibited some measure of uprightness during the election.

    NAN reports that the meeting had in attendance various heads of the different religious bodies in Imo.

  • INEC decries nonchallant attitude to PVC collection

    The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, has decried the nonchalant attitude of Nigerians in the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) saying the atittude was not in the best interest of the country for the 2019 election.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, made this known at a sensitization meeting with stakeholders in Owerri Municipal and Owerri West Local Government Areas of Imo.

    Ezeonu said the attitude was more prevalent in the South East.

    He said that politics was a game of numbers which required citizens to arm themselves with their PVCs as ready tools to vote in credible candidates.

    He enjoined the people to go and collect their cards and take the election processes seriously.

    He cautioned politicians against collecting’ PVCs from voters and hoarding them only to bring them out during elections to cause confusion.

    Ezeonu said the tour of the 27 LGAs in Imo was to sensitise the general public on the need for PVCs collection, registration as well as intimate them on the electoral rules and processes.

    He allayed the fears expressed by the people saying the national office is doing all possible to handle all the challenges, assuring that hijacking of ballot boxes was now a thing of the past.

    Speaking, the Electoral Officer of Owerri Municipal Council , Mr Andrew Ereforokuma,said that the commission had always believe  there was the need to partner with the people inorder to have an acceptable election,.

    “As we continue in our preparation towards 2019 general elections, we shall have more opportunities as this to share information and build the necessary trust for a rancor free election.”

    Ereferokuma said registration exercise has so far been successful in the LGA, adding that as at the end of the first phase, data of 17,913 people (9,024 males and 8,889 females) have been captured.

    The Electoral Officer of Owerri West, Mrs Ebere Orji, said the town hall meeting provided stakeholders and the commission an avenue to create the needed synergy for achieving good result in 2019.

    “INEC cannot achieve a free, fair and credible election alone. It has to work in collaboration with other stakeholders for its mission to be actualised.

    Orji said communities in the LG are faced with bad roads, collapsed bridges and swampy areas, which had hindered timely delivery of materials during the registration exercise.

    She said the LG currently has 34, 229 uncollected PVCs.

    The meeting comprised traditional rulers, the clergy, security personnels and stakeholders in the communities.

    The stateholders had complained about registration centers being far from the people, alleged under-aged registration in some parts of the country as well as appealled for creation of more polling units and wards.

     

  • We will deploy 20,000 ad-hoc personnel in Imo for 2019 election- REC

    Prof. Francis Ezeonu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, says that the commission will deploy 20,000 ad-hoc personnel in the forthcoming 2019 elections in Imo for smooth election conduct.

    Prof. Ezeonu made this known at a Town Hall Meeting/Sensitisation campaign on the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government areas of Imo.

    According to our reporter, the  sensitisation campaign was in partnership with Development Dynamics, a non governmental organisation.

    Ezeonu said that becuase of the enermous task during elections, the commission would employ the services of adhoc staff who would be adequately trained, especially on how to operate the card reader machine.

    He allayed the fears being expressed by some stakeholders on the challenges of using the card reader for election, saying that the machines had been upgraded to perform maximally.

    Ezeonu said the Imo INEC had embarked on the sensitisation tour of the 27 local government areas of the state because of the registration apathy of the people and to convince them of the importance of the PVCs.

    He described the PVC as one of the most recognised and acceptable identification materials currently in the country.

    Mr Victor Nwokoabia, the Head of Election Planning and Monitoring in INEC, warned parties on commencing campaigns before time, stating that Section 94 and Section 95 of the Electoral Law as Ammended, stipulated that parties must get police permission before starting campaigns and follow all electoral guidelines.

    He said that INEC was also supposed to monitor such campaigns as well as the primaries to maintain peace and order.

    Mr Peter Okoriie, the Electoral Officer in Ideato North Local Government area, Mr said that as the commission prepared for the 2019 elections, interactions with critical stakeholders would create opportunity to access current developments in the commission and re-strategise for the future.

    He said the commission, by the meeting, had created an open door policy to reassure members of the public of their commitment toward delivering free and fair elections in 2019 in the state.

    Okorie said the INEC had so far registered 5,620 voters, comprising 3,107 male and 2,513 female since April 2017 in the local government area.

    He said that before the CVR, the local government had 5,781 uncollected PVCs with only 126 currently collected leaving 5,655 unclaimed PVCs.

    Mr Chinedu Njoku, the Electoral Officer in Ideato South, described the INEC metting with stakeholders as a confidence-building forum.

    He said that since March 16, about 4,068 citizens of the local government had accessed INEC activities with 3,190 registrants (1869 males and 1321 females), 171 transfers (112 inter, 59 intra), 63 omissions and 327 card losses.

    Mr Arthur Egwim, a member of House of Assembly, representing Ideato Local Government and the Techinical Committee Charman of Ideato Local Government, Mr Uche Onwuka, decried the registration apathy in the local government and commended INEC for the move.

    They urged the commission to ensure the PVCs were released on time to the people to guide against having huge numbers still uncollected.

    Mr Pascal Obi, the Principal Secretary to the Imo Governor, Mr Rochas Okorocha, and Mrs Getrude Oduka, the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education from Ideato South, expressed delight at the INEC meeting with the stakeholders.

    They asked that political parties which had no structures should be delisted from INEC list to avoid confusion and called for proper training of the adhoc staff that would be used during the elections.

     

  • INEC will cancel election in any troublesome ward – REC

    INEC will cancel election in any troublesome ward – REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) says it will cancel elections in wards with irregularities, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, said elections in areas where ballot boxes were seized or where voting was marred by any violence would be voided.

    The electoral commissioner said this on Friday while carrying out sensitisation campaign in Aboh Mbaise Local Government area of Imo.

    He said INEC was prepared for free and fair elections devoid of violence and intimidation and urged stakeholders to cooperate with the commission to achieve this objective.

    “INEC will not accept results in areas where ballot papers or boxes are carted away by hoodlums or any group or individuals. Election in that area will be cancelled.

    “What INEC needs is cooperation from members of the community.

    “If INEC does not receive cooperation of people in the communities, things will not be okay. I advise politicians and stakeholders to play by the rules and play good politics,” he said.

    Ezeonu reiterated the commitment of INEC to conduct credible polls in the fourth coming general elections.

    He urged politicians to always ensure their followers enjoyed dividends of democracy to pave way for their re-election.

    The electoral commissioner advised the people of Aboh Mbaise to ensure that all eligible voters in the area got their PVCs and went out and vote during election.

    He said election in Nigeria would no longer be business as usual, adding that INEC was tightening its ropes against all aspects of rigging.

    Ezeonu promised that the state INEC would ensure that all eligible voters registered through provision of more registration machines and re-visiting places where people were yet to be captured.

    Read Also:  Council of State endorses appointments for NPC, INEC, JSC

    Earlier, Mr Clement Archibong , the Electoral Officer in Aboh Mbaise, said the commission had registered a total of 6,311 prospective voters since registration was taken to the electoral wards as ordered by the commission .

    He, however, said that the local government had 2,820 uncollected permanent voters cards and called on stakeholders to carry the message to their various communities for the owners to come and take them.

    Mrs Esther Emeruche, the Technical Committee Chairman of Aboh Mbaise, called on INEC to be an unbiased electoral umpire and should not be party to rigging by announcing results in violent areas.

    Some stakeholders, who consisted of traditional rulers, representatives of political parties, youth, women and town union leaders, commended INEC in the state on the sensitisation and the assurance of credible elections.

    They advised INEC against bringing in faulty registration and card reader machines for registration and for elections, saying that faulty machines were means of election rigging.

    They also wanted INEC to revisit areas where people were yet to be captured to have more registered voters.

    They called for continuous publicity and enlightenment on the voter registration exercise and collection of PVCs.

    Eze Emmanuel Mad, a traditional ruler in Aboh Mbaise, expressed gratitude to INEC in the state and urged it to fulfill all its promises as well as ensure it conducted credible elections come 2019.

    Mr Mike Iheanetu,a  member representing Aboh Mbaise State Constituency, advised the people of Aboh Mbaise against political and voter apathy.

    He enjoined them to go out, register and obtain their PVCs, saying it is their power to vote and elect good leaders.

    NAN

  • We will not register under-aged – INEC tells stakeholders

    We will not register under-aged – INEC tells stakeholders

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) says it will not register under-aged in the ongoing registration of voters as it is against the nation’s Electoral Act and processes.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, made the promise at a sensitization campaign on the ongoing voter registration exercise in Ihite Uboma and Obowo local government areas of Imo.

    He said that under-aged were not qualified for registration as they should not be subjected to the rigours of the law in case of election violence or misconduct as persons of 18 years and above.

    He, however, encouraged those that are 18 years and above to ensure they availed themselves of the current registration exercise in electoral wards in Imo to register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) .

    According to Prof. Ezeonu, PVC is the individual’s power to elect persons of his or her choice during elections.

    The sensitization programme was being carried out in collaboration with Development Dynamics, a non-governmental organization.

    Ezeonu said that consideration would be given to the elderly, pregnant women and the sick during registration and elections and called for the understanding of all the stakeholders.

    He expressed regret that in spite of the commission’s repeated announcements for people to go and collect their PVCs, the cards had remained at the custody of the commission till date and called for a change of attitude.

    He said that PVCs could not be collected by proxy and enjoined stakeholders to collect theirs as well as inform their neighbours and friends to do same.

    The resident electoral officer reaffirmed the commitment of INEC to close all avenues of rigging during elections and advised politicians to do their home work well as “it is no longer business as usual.”

    Ezeonu said that the commission had upgraded the operational system of the card reader and would use it effectively in the coming elections.

    “All areas of rigging are being closed. INEC will make use of card readers and will transmit results electronically to the designated centres made for announcement of results.

    “Power to elect people into various offices in the country belongs to the people and we want the people to exercise this power,” he said.

    The commissioner said that the commission had come up with what it called Residential Area Camp (RAC) to ensure voting materials reached polling polls on time during elections.

    He said the commission adding had equally ordered for more registration machines to be deployed in states where they were needed to make registration faster.

    Mrs Ogbonne Achibie, the Electoral Officer in Obowo Local Government, said that the local government had a total of 48,746 PVCs with 12,386 PVCs yet to be collected.

    She said that following the deployment of the CVR by the commission to remote communities, many more areas were being covered with improvement in people’s turnout for registration.

    Mrs Ekeoma Adolpg-Nnebue, the Electoral Officer in Ihitte Uboma, urged traditional rulers and other stakeholders to increase their sensitization of those who were yet to register, returnees from other places and those who just turned 18.

    The stakeholders, made up traditional rulers from various communities, parties, women and youth leaders commended INEC in the state for the sensitization exercise.

    They, however, complained of INEC officials in the South East not allow under-aged to register as allegedly done in some other parts of the country.

    They also asked for the creation of more polling units and provision of more registration machines to make the voters registration faster.

    Eze Jude Uwaleke, one of the traditional rulers in Ihite Uboma, complained of the far distance to some registration centres and the difficult terrain in reaching some centres in some communities.

    Mr Gabriel Akubueze, a stakeholder from Umuebe Aboke in Ihite Uboma, complained of lack of polling booths in his community and the level of political apathy in the area.

    He urged INEC to liaise with the traditional rulers and community leaders to ensure people would come out to register and also vote.

    Chief Ambrose Onuoha from Ihite Uboma urged the commission to ensure the introduction of CCTV to monitor illegalities during elections, while Chief Awolowo Nkwo-Dede from Obowo tasked INEC on transparency during elections.

    NAN