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Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

  • INEC embarks on special intervention in Anambra

    Independent National electoral commission (INEC) in Anambra State on Friday, said it would on Monday, commence distribution and collection of permanent voters cards in all local government areas of the state.

    The Head, Voter Education/Publicity, Nkedife Leo, who disclosed this in a statement, said the special intervention exercise which would end on Friday, October 19, was aimed at distributing the PVCs at the ward levels.

    Read Also: SANs back INEC on inconclusive election declaration

    He asked those who registered from 2010 to April 2018 to take advantage of the opportunity to collect their voters cards.

    “Kindly visit INEC local government offices for a schedule of the visit to the wards,” he added.

  • INEC issues Certificate of Return to Oyetola

    Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka, the Osun Governor-Elect on Wednesday received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Osogbo.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Ekiti and Osun states, Prince Adedeji Soyebi, presented the certificate to Oyetola.

    Read Also:Osun governor-elect Oyetola unfolds agenda

    NAN also reports that the Deputy Governor-Elect, Mr Benedict Alabi also received his Certificate of Return at the event.

    In his remarks, Oyetola promised not to disappoint the people of the state who gave him the mandate in the Sept. 22 governorship election.

    He said the people of Osun would continue to enjoy the benefit of good governance in the state.

    Oyetola, who vowed to justify the confidence reposed in him by the people of the state, said he would run all-inclusive and participatory government.

    “I want to assure the people of the state that I will serve to the best of my ability and I will run all-inclusive and participatory government.

    “I will always consult majority of stakeholders in the implementation of the policies and programmes that would have positive effect in the lives of the people of the state.

    “I will run people’s friendly government. The focus of my administration will be the welfare of the people of the state.

    “We are going to work together to ensure that we justify the confidence people reposed in me,” he added.

    Oyetola also commended INEC and security operatives for ensuring that the election was free and fair.

    He also thanked Gov. Rauf Aregbesola for giving him the opportunity to serve under his administration and also prepared him for the task ahead.

    In his speech, Mr Segun Agbaje, INEC Resident Commissioner in Osun said that the commission had done its best to deliver credible election and also promoted the image of INEC.

    Agbaje commended the people of Osun for the maturity displayed before, during and after the election.

    The REC said that issues raised by the US, UK and EU and the domestic observer groups during the election would be closely studied by the commission for further appropriate action.

    He said, “I remained neutral throughout the election process.

    “If at the end of litigation at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the commission is found culpable for not discharging its responsibility faithfully and diligently, I will take full responsibility for any such laxity.

    “And also publicly apologize to all Nigerians and thereafter resign my appointment with the commission.

    “It should be put on record that the Commission carried out thorough investigation of all the allegations of intimidation of voters suspected to belong to a particular party, violence, arrest of Journalists and observers raised by some groups.

    “The commission discovered that all the allegations were not absolutely correct while the case of those arrested by the police with fake observer tags are still being investigated”.

    NAN reports that Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the APC candidate, defeated Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), candidate with 482 votes in the rerun poll.

    Oyetola scored a total of 255, 505 to defeat Adeleke who scored 255, 023.

     

  • 2019: Olujimi wins PDP Ekiti south senatorial ticket

    Senate Minority Leader, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, has clinched the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for Ekiti South senatorial district ahead of the February National Assembly election.

    Olujimi was elected by affirmation by delegates from all the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district at a primary conducted in Ikere Ekiti on Tuesday.

    Party leaders and delegates from Ekiti Southwest, Ikere, Ise/Orun, Emure, Gbonyin and Ekiti East local government areas elected Olujimi by voice vote.

    The shadow poll was witnessed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Orientation Agency (NOA), security agencies and journalists.

    The primary was conducted by Ekiti PDP Women Leader, Mrs. Yemisi Afolabi, on behalf of the panel from the party’s national secretariat.

    Read Also: 2019: Ekiti PDP aspirants plot mass defection to APC

    Mrs. Afolabi explained that panel members’ flight had a delay saying she had the permission of the panel to conduct the primary.

    Speaking shortly after winning the PDP ticket to seek a re-election, Olujimi appreciated party members for the confidence reposed in her promising to do more for the senatorial zone if elected at the general election.

    The former Ekiti Deputy Governor urged party members to be more united to ensure victory at the election.

    According to her, she has succeeded in bringing visibility to Ekiti South and attracted more projects there in the last three and half years and empowered the constituents.

    The senator urged party members and people of the district to guard their votes at the general elections to ensure that their votes count.

    She called on INEC to conduct credible polls next year to win back the confidence of the electorate in the ballot box criticising the electoral umpire’s handling of the last governorship poll in Osun State.

  • FG to establish permanent electoral offences tribunal

    The Federal Government is set to establish a permanent electoral tribunal that would be saddled with the main responsibility of addressing issues relating to electoral fraud and offences.

    Special Adviser to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mohammed Kuna, Tuesday said that the Federal Government had proposed a bill for the establishment of the outfit.

    Kuna, who delivered a keynote address during a training organized for INEC legal and police officers on prosecution of election offences in Calabar, said, “This is a welcome development to the Commission because it would mean that some of the cases we have been seeing of electoral fraud and offences, would be addressed by separate body that would be fully staffed and funded to do address exactly the issue of electoral offences.”

    The training was organized by INEC with support from the European Centre for electoral Support (ECES) within the context of Component One of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN)

    Kuna said there was need to collectively address the problems of electoral impunity, which has become so much in the system, by ensuring that electoral offenders are diligently prosecuted.

    According to him, to move the democratic process forward, it must be ensured that those who break the law are brought to book, and this, he said, was part of what the training programme sought to address.

    “The issue of the electoral offences tribunal is something that has been recommended since the Uwais Commission and INEC after the 2011 registration given the number of multiple registrants thought it was not capable technically and resources-wise to prosecute all the 870, 000 cases of multiple registrants at that time. So it lent its voice to the implementation of that aspect of the Uwais Commission that said that there is a need to create an electoral offences tribunal.

    After the 2011 general elections the aftermath of that election, the government set up the Lemu Commission, which also recommended that an electoral offences Tribunal be created,” he said.

    He also said the commission was also working hard to check the problem of vote buying during elections.

    Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Frankland Briyai, said it was not just important to institute legal proceedings against electoral offenders, but far more important to successfully arraign, prosecute and secure conviction against such offenders.

    Briyai, who was represented by the Administrative Secretary of INEC in the state, Mrs. Irene Oghuma, urged the participants of the training to make best use of the opportunity.

    Senior Electoral Expert, ECES, Maria Teresa Mauro, said the perpetration of election offences undermines the smooth conduct of the elections and has impact on the integrity of the electoral process.

    “Election offences constitute a violation of the laws and regulations guiding the conduct of the elections, thus may lead to the disruption of elections, sometimes destruction of election materials and so forth. They can degenerate to a point of constituting a threat to the security of voters and election personnel. The perpetration of election offences constitutes to voter insecurity and the distortion of election outcomes.

    “There, clear, properly understood and followed mechanisms for prosecution of election offences committed by voters, candidates and election officials are necessary to render the electoral process less controversial and contentious as possible. Offenders need to be punished according to the law to make the electoral process ever more credible,” Mauro said.

  • 2019: Don tasks INEC, political parties on credible elections

    A dons, Dr Ifeanyichukwu Abada, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain neutral as political parties play the game of politics according to the rules and to ensure free and fair elections in 2019.

    Abada, the Head of Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Nsukka.

    He said INEC as the electoral umpire should be neutral and should provide level playing field for all political parties before, during and after the 2019 general elections.

    He added that “INEC should conduct transparency test for its workers to know those who are qualified to work for the commission that will not compromise their positions.”

    He advised political parties should not give tickets to members who see election as do or die affair but those who see it as selfless service to fatherland.

    Read Also: 2019: Tambuwal wants INEC to live above board

    He also urged INEC to ensure that the alleged vote-buying that characterized recent elections in
    Ekiti State and Osun State governorship elections did not happen during next year’s general elections.

    Abada said “vote-buying would put a question mark on the integrity of the commission.

    “INEC should disqualify the candidate of any political party caught in vote buying in any election
    to serve as deterrent to others.

    “Civil rights groups should collaborate with INEC to sensitize electorate on the danger of selling their votes, which is their electoral power to elect good candidates that will bring development to their area.

    “The electorate should be made to understand that any politician who buys votes will not help them or bring democracy dividends to the people because he or she will believe that he has paid the people by buying their votes.”

    The don advised Nigerians to be patriotic and to put national interest above other personal interests to move the country to the next level.

    “`For Nigeria to be among leading democracies in the world, we should think more of what we will do for our country and not what the country will do for us,’’ Abada said.

  • 2019: Tambuwal wants INEC to live above board

    Sokoto state Governor and Presidential aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday, in Katsina, charged personnel working for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to live above board and remain unbiased umpire in the 2019 general elections.

    He declared “INEC personnel should understand that all eyes are on them as we prepare for the general elections. They should know that they have family names and integrity to protect’’.

    “They should not do anything that will make people insinuate and doubt the unbiased umpire that they are supposed to be’’.

    “When we form the next federal government, we shall find specific solutions to Nigeria problems and we shall respect human rights.”-

    Tambuwal who was in the state to meet members of the delegate to the fort coming national convention of the party, on his presidential ambition, made the declaration during an interview with journalists shortly after he met the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s state Secretariat.

    The PDP Presidential Aspirant said he believed in strong institutions that will assist in the development of Nigeria.

    Read Also: Tambuwal vows to restore peace, rebuild north east

    Citing various examples of national appointments including those of Federal Fiscal Mobilization Committee, Tambuwal said he will make states to nominate members for such Committee, to further strengthen our institutions.

    The Sokoto state Governor had earlier appealed to PDP members in Katsina state, especially delegates attending the party’s national convention to vote for him and assist him in achieving his presidential ambition.

    He declared “If you assist me to become the President, we know Katsina to be an agrarian state. We would support the state to export your agriculture products and find ready markets for the products’’.

    “I am conversant with Katsina and believe strongly that during our convention, I will score 120 over 120 from the delegates here.”

  • Group drags Gov. Bindow to Court over alleged certificate forgery

    The end may not have been heard of cases of certificate forgery in the political scene as a human right group, Global Integrity Crusade Network is accusing Adamawa State Governor, Muhammad Jibrilla Bindow of certificate forgery.
    The group has therefore approached an Abuja Federal High Court, asking the court to compel the Inspector General of Police to prosecute the Governor for offences bothering on perjury.
    In the originating summons dated 26th September, 2018, the plaintiff alleged that the Governor did not to completed his secondary education at the Government Secondary School, Mangu, Plateau State, as claimed.

    Read Also: 2019: Bindow insists Buhari will win election

    They are also seeking an order of court compelling the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to produce the result of the Governor within fourteen (14) days.
    Joined in the suit instituted on behalf of the registered trustees of the human right body by Tersagh Unande are Governor Bindow, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), West African Examination Council (WAEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) are joined as defendants.

  • 2019: House of Rep. aspirant charges INEC on credible polls

    A front line aspirant for Yagba Federal Constituency vying for membership of House of Representatives under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Elder Leke Abejide has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure free and fair elections in the 2019.

    Elder Abejide, a Kano-based business mogul in Press Conference in Kano on Saturday advised INEC to be fair and just in the subsequent elections  so as to maintain its credibility and assure Nigerians it has the integrity to ensure credible elections in 2019.

    According to him, “last weekend I and my teeming supporters were at our party’s national secretariat in Abuja where I submitted my nomination form. Though many would have expected me to vie on the platform of PDP or APC which they consider the big parties; but I assure you that if INEC will provide a level playing ground for all, our great party, the ADC is party to beat in 2019, particularly, in my constituency.”

    He also decried the continued neglect of his Yagba federal constituency in Kogi state consisting of three local Government Areas of Yagba East, Yagba West and Mopa-Moru, by both state and Federal Government, adding that, “this is what prompted me to contest in order to bring succour to the continuous suffering and neglect of my people.”

    Read Also: Osun Election: U.S. hails INEC’s performance

    Abejide, who recently decamped with thousands of his supporters from the ruling APC to ADC said, “the clear lack of government presence in the area is the driving factor pushing my people to seek for an alternative political party, different from the APC and PDP.

    “You will recall that on August 4, this year, thousands of my supporters and myself decamped from the ruling APC,  in a carnival-like political ceremony held in Isanlu, the headquarters of Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi state.

    “We made this move because of the un-progressive political environment being foster on the good people of Kogi State by the Governor; Yahaya Bello led administration of the APC. This everybody knows has reduced most people in the state to destitute.

    “Jobs are not being created, and many of those working before were suddenly declared ghost workers. This has led to the death of countless number of people, particularly, in Yagba land. In addition to this, we have seen a situation in which Yagba has been cut –off from other parts of Nigeria because of the collapsed of all the roads linking the area,” he stated.

  • Fayose: Osun election was a ‘show of shame’

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has described the governorship election conducted in neighbouring Osun State as a “show of shame.”

    He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly perfecting rigging plans with “compromised elections” in Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and now Osun.

    Fayose in a statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said “democracy is dead in Nigeria” with the outcome of the supplementary governorship poll held in Osun on Thursday.

    Read Also:Ekiti PDP aspirants vandalize secretariat, reject alleged imposition by Fayose

    He accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of compromising with the APC and security forced to pervert the will of the Nigerian electorate.

    The Ekiti governor commended the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in Osun governorship poll, Senator Ademola Adeleke for “having fought a good fight.”

    Hailing Adeleke, Fayose said: “You did not lose but your mandate has only been stolen”

    Fayose said: “With the show of shame that happened in last Saturday’s Osun state governorship election in general and the Thursday rerun in particular, there is no other conclusion to draw than that democracy is now dead in our beloved country.

    “With what happened in Osun state, democracy is actually dead in Nigeria and we are in critical times.

    “The Osun supplementary elections was just a repeat of what happened in Ekiti state on July 14th. And it is unfortunate that, again, the will of the people has been perverted.

    “It was obvious even to the blind that the Osun election, as was the case with Ekiti, was a contest between the PDP and the security agencies supervised by a compromised INEC.”

    Fayose added that the University professors also used as returning officers by INEC have, ab initio, been compromised and only serve the interest of those he described as their pay masters.

    He added: “Therefore, we want to believe that conscionable Nigerians and the survival of this country as a whole are at the mercy of God and of the judiciary. And if the judiciary fails to rise up to the occasion, Nigerians will be among men the most miserable”

    He condemned the violence that attended the election, sympathized with the families of those killed and enjoined PDP members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

  • Osun: 16 held for ‘illegal’ possession of INEC observers’ accouterments 

    Sixteen persons including a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives aspirant Moshood Adejare have been arrested by the police in Osun State for alleged illegal possession of of customised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tags, caps and jackets. Osun: 16 held for ‘illegal’ possession of INEC observers’ accouterments

    They were allegedly intercepted by a police team at Orolu on stop and search duty.

    Arrested alongside Adejare were PDP Secretary at Orolu Raimi Taofeeg,  members Oyelayo Dayo and Olaoye Asimi, as well as Gbenga Olapade, Charles Amibiogoiu, Ayomide Ayansola, Kayode Dada and Daramola Segun.

    Others include Tunji Akinroyinmi, Kunle Adedeji, Habeeb Bahiru, Yisa Sodiq, Adeolu Bamijoko, Oladipo Samson and Adeolu Bamidele.

    According to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Operations and Security Coordinator for the election Joshak Habila, the suspects had those items inscribed “INEC Osun 2018 Election Observer” and PDP membership cards in their possession.

    “The suspects are using the items to have easy access to restricted areas meant for personnel with due accreditation,” he said.
    Habila refuted claims that accredited INEC observers were being arrested or denied access to polling units, assuring Osun people of the police’ resolve to provide security for a free and fair re-run election while investigation continues.