The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

  • Osun poll: PDP agent missing at polling unit in Ife LG

    There was drama at the Ward 7, Unit 12 Polling Unit in Adereti village, Ife South Local Government Area, as a PDP agent in the ongoing governorship rerun election in Osun was missing on duty.

    An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Stephen Oyewande, said he could not explain why the PDP agent was not on duty at the polling unit.

    Oyewande, INEC’s Deputy Director, Voters Education, told newsmen to direct their enquiries on the missing party agent to the PDP.

    “Call the state chairman of the party and ask him why his party agent is not here. I can’t explain why he is not here,’’ he said.

    Present, however, were Lateef Abimbola of All Progressives Congress, Olaiya Yemi of All Peoples Alliance and Rasheed Mojeed of Advance Congress of Democrats.

    Also present were Adeyemo Gafar of Action Democratic Party and Bayo Shittu of Social Democratic Party (SDP), were present at the polling unit.

    There was tight security at the polling unit while voters were prevented from bringing their smartphones into the cubicles.

    Scores of commuters, especially those moving toward the Ondo end of the highway were caught in the traffic snarl due to the roadblock mounted by the police.

  • Osun Election: US applauds INEC over inconclusive verdict, rerun 

    …urges victor, loser to be magnanimous, patient in victory, defeat

     

    Government of the United States of America has okayed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s decision to declare the last Saturday governorship elections in Osun state inconclusive.

    The United States however urged winner in the Thursday rerun to be magnanimous in victory and loser to be patient in defeat.

    American Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, who said this in Kaduna on Wednesday, expressed support for the election rerun, noting that the rerun is vital because every vote need to count given the fact that there was almost 353 vote margin between the two leading candidates, while over 3,000 votes could not be casted.

    Symington, who was represented by the Charge’d Affairs in the American Embassy, Mr. David Young, urged the people of Osun state to vote peacefully and accept the results of the elections peaceful as well.

    He urged the victors to be magnanimous in victory and who ever loses to be gracious in defeat.

    “We want to commend the people of Osun State for their peaceful vote last Saturday it was very positive for democracy, the people went to the polls in such large numbers about 700,000 voters, which is certainly an expression of democratic freedom that we applaud. We also applaud the peaceful contest that took place, the work of security operatives that guaranteed the peaceful votes.

    “I want to say that the electoral commission did a good job in terms of what we saw. The decision of INEC to go ahead and have a rerun in seven polling units is the one that we respect. Given the fact that there was almost 353 vote margin between the two candidates and a couple of a thousand votes were not able to be casted. Certainly this is a decision that makes sense.

    “We want to say that for the voters, through no fault of their own were not able to vote, it is important in a democracy that every persons vote is sacred and is allowed to count. Clearly as we go forward with the votes Thursday in a democracy one side wins and one side loses. We want to emphasize that the people vote peacefully in the conduct of the election and accept the results peaceful as well.

    “We want to urge the victors to be magnanimous in victory and who ever loses to be gracious in defeat. This is part of democracy and democratic freedom and going forward it is important for the Nigerian people to be free of vote buying in a contest that is peaceful.”

    The American Ambassador, who spoke at the launch of women and girls child empowerment of Magviole Vocational Center, also urged Nigerian to plan for potential population explosion in the next few decades by educating and providing the youth with skills that would create jobs for them and get them engaged.

    “With Nigerian population growth in the next 30 years, it is important for the country to realize that it has to invest in children and I think focusing on education, health, investment and making sure these are actually funded. We also saw today with the Magviole vocation center here in Kaduna that it is so important for the young people to get jobs, training; skills that can help them move forward and create a better future for them.

    “This is something that requires focus from the entire Nigerian society and recognizing that you have to think long term to address these challenges.”

    He stayed that US has been very much involved in funding health and education, throughout Nigeria citing the antiretroviral drugs provided for almost 1 million Nigerian suffering from HIV/AIDS in collaboration with the Nigerian government. “We are proud to help fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, the polio cases and we are hoping to continue with these in the future.”

  • 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 Wednesday advised INEC to be fair and just in the Osun governorship election re-run 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 succor to the continuous suffering and neglect of my people.”

    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.

    Read Also: INEC is in order, says Oyegun

    “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.

  • Osun 2018: EU, UK, US commend INEC, Osun people

    The Missions of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the people of Osun state for last Saturday peaceful poll.

    In a statement on Tuesday, they all urged the would be winner after the Thursday’s rerun to be magnanimous in victory.

    Read Also: Foreign missions sues for peaceful rerun in Osun

    The statement which was jointly signed by the three partners, reads: “We commend the people of Osun for voting peacefully, the Independent National Electoral Commission for the improved organisation of the election, and security services for their conduct.

    “We urge that all continue to support a peaceful, free, fair, and credible completion of the process as INEC re-runs the election in seven polling units where — through no fault of their own — voters were not able to cast their votes and have them counted last Saturday. We stress the importance that the re-run should take place without any violence, intimidation, or vote buying.

    “Whoever wins the election after Thursday’s vote should be magnanimous in victory, and whoever loses should be gracious in defeat.”

  • 2019: Ekiti APC gets consensus Assembly candidates

    …Minority Leader, Afuye, four women among flag bearers

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State is now set for the House of Assembly election on March 2 with emergence of consensus candidates for the state parliament.

    Ekiti APC leaders and members have adopted the candidates by consensus to fly the party’s flag at the State Assembly election.

    A party leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said the party constitution allows for emergence of consensus candidates.

    The Assembly flag bearers were adopted on the basis of loyalty to the party, pedigree, previous experience, gender and religious balancing and political factors of their constituencies.

    The source said: “The adoption of Assembly candidates by Ekiti APC was aimed at ensuring that loyal party members make it to House of Assembly and others interested but who are not lucky are not allowed to waste time, money, resources and energy.”

    Only two of the 26 candidates adopted by Ekiti APC have previous legislative experience.

    They are the former Majority Leader, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye (Ikere 1) and the current Minority Leader, Mr. Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1) who has been given the ticket to seek a re-election.

    Afuye also served as Commissioner for Information and Intergovernmental Affairs and Integration.

    Four of the candidates are women; they are former Commissioner for Labour and Human Capital Development, Mrs. Bunmi Adelugba (Emure); former Special Assistant on Media to Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yemisi Ayokunle (Ekiti Southwest 1); former Special Assistant to Deputy Governor, Mrs. Kemi Balogun (Ado 2) and former Personal Assistant to Deputy Governor, Princess Teju Okuyiga (Gbonyin).

    Also adopted as consensus candidates are former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Mr. Hakeem Jamiu (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2); former Permanent Secretary, Government House and Protocol, Mr. Akin Oso (Ido/Osi 2); former Chairman, Ekiti East Local Government, Mr. Lateef Akanle (Ekiti East 2) and former Caretaker Chairman, Ekiti West Local Government, Mr. Tajudeen Akingbolu (Ekiti West 1).

    Others are Mr. Oluwatoyin Lucas (Ado 1), Mr. Babatunde Lawrence (Ikere 2), Mr. Reuben Awoyemi (Oye 1), Mr. Yemi Osuntuyi (Oye 2), Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye (Ikole 2), Mr. Abiodun Fawekun (Ido/Osi 1) and Mr. Adejuwa Adegbuyi (Ekiti East 2).

    The rest are Mr. Johnson Adeoye (Ekiti West 2), Mr. Olatunji (Ekiti Southwest 2), Mr. Adeyemi Ajibade (Moba 1), Mr. Michael Arubu (Moba 2), Mr. Dele Ajayi (Ise/Orun), Mr. Tope Ogunleye (Ilejemeje), Mr. Ademola Ojo (Ijero) and Mr. Femi Akindele (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2)

    The APC House of Assembly primary, where the candidates will be formally affirmed by party delegates, will hold on October 2.

    House of Assembly election will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nationwide on March 2, 2019.

  • IPAC seeks support for INEC to tackle vote-buying

    The Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC ) in Bauchi State has urged security agencies. Anti-graft bodies and media to support INEC in tackling the problem of vote-buying ahead of the 2019 elections.

    Alhaji Musa Mato the IPAC Secretary in the state, made the appeal in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Tuesday.

    He described the challenge of vote buying as worrisome, and said the Economic Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, security agencies and media should team up to expose politicians engaged in the act.

    He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also requires the support of all well-meaning Nigerians to end the practice that has compromised the sanctity of the electoral process.

    “Apart from the cash inducement, some politicians influence voters with gift items such as television set, phones, foodstuffs, recharge cards among others,” he said.

    According to him, vote buying undermines the electoral process, poses serious threat to democracy and credibility of elections.

    “Vote buying is earning a bad reputation for our democracy, for our elections and the future of the county.

    “So it has become necessary for stakeholders such as EFCC, ICPC, security agencies and media to support INEC in fighting the challenge.

    Read Also: Osun poll: INEC warns against publication of false results

    ” Other stakeholders including political parties, civil society organizations and the citizens should also get involved to overcome the problem,” Mato said.

    He said “It becomes necessary for us to come together to address this illegality.

    “Some of the ugly trend takes place at polling units and outside polling units on Election Day, and some even before elections through electronic cash transfer.”

    The IPAC secretary said those involved must be arrested, investigated and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others, and “to avoid money-bags determining our democracy.

    “We want the votes of the people to determine who wins in our elections.”

    Mato stressed that the campaign to stop vote-buying must be collective and sustained to sanitise the electoral process.

    The IPAC secretary backed INEC for placing ban on the use of handsets in polling booths as part of measures to limit vote-buying.

  • PDP goes to court over Osun election

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said it’s going to court to challenge the inconclusive verdict passed on last Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the election, following the cancellation of the service in some local government areas.

    But in a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party insisted that the election was concluded and results announced in all polling and the collation centers.

    According the PDP, that signified the lawful conclusion of the election, thus removing INEC’s powers to declare the election inconclusive.

    The statement said, “Our electoral law is clear that once an election result is declared, INEC is bound to return a winner. INEC, in trying to play the card of the defeated All Progressives Congress (APC), contravened the law by refusing to announce a return, even when the declared results have thrown up a winner.

    “Section 69 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) states that inter-alia “in an election to the office of the President or governor whether or not contested and in any contested election to any other elective office, the result shall be ascertained by counting the votes cast for each candidate and subject to the provisions of sections 133, 134 and 179 of the constitution, the candidate that receives the highest number of votes shall be declared elected by the appropriate Returning Officer”.

    Read Also: ‘PDP’s call for result selfish’

    “Concurrently, Section 179 (2), (a) (b) of the constitution directly prescribes that “a candidate for an election to the office of Governor of a State shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates – (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the State.

    “INEC’s action in declaring a concluded election as inconclusive is therefore an annulment, totally duplicitous, constitutionally illegal, ultra-vires and as such null and void”.

    The PDP called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Osun State Governorship Election Returning Officer, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, for “succumbing to the pressure of the APC” and declaring a decided election as inconclusive.

    “We demand that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately summon the courage to do the needful by declaring our candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as winner.

    “It is completely ludicrous, that INEC and the APC are now attempting to divert the narrative from the substance of the election by making outlandish allegations against the PDP and lobbying Civil Society Organizations and Electoral Observers to validate their illegality.

    “Moreover, even if the Osun governorship election is conducted over and over again, the PDP will still win as the people of the state have chosen the PDP and its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    “Nevertheless, we insist that the September 22, 2018 election, under our laws, is conclusive and our candidate must be declared winner”

  • PDP vote buying mechanism, a threat to democracy says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Monday asked security agents and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to check what it described as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vote buying machineries already deployed ahead of rerun election scheduled for Thursday.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena said in a statement that the outcome of the Osun election confirmed the threats by the PDP to deploy all means, Scheme, shenanigans in all ramifications to rig all the elections beginning from the Osun election.

    Read Also:Osun: APC, PDP trade words

    It said that the vote buying mechanics deployed by the PDP during the Osun election is a threat to democracy and current efforts t9 ensure the sanctity of the nation’s elections.

    While asking the people of Osun to resist any of such attempts, the APC wondered why the main opposition is raising questions about the inconclusive nature of the Osun election when they failed to do same in previous elections, especially the governorship election in Kogi State.

    The APC said: “The aftermath of Saturday’s inconclusive Osun State Governorship election has confirmed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vow to deploy all “means, schemes, shenanigans in all ramification and magnitude” to rig all coming elections, starting from the Osun State Governorship election.

    “It is now clear that the vote-buying template introduced by the PDP and brazenly deployed in the Osun inconclusive election is an urgent threat to our democracy and current efforts to ensure the sanctity of our elections.

    “While the PDP and its paid proxies where accusing other political parties of irregularities during Saturday’s inconclusive elections, the Party was busy perpetuating its vote-buying scheme as exposed in several leaked videos showing PDP agents buying votes for its candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke particularly in Ede local councils of Osun State.

    “The PDP’s now public rigging method particularly vote-buying and dissemination of diversionary fake news must be checked particularly as we go into the INEC-ordered Osun governorship rerun.

    “We also call on the electorate, civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders to speak out and resist the PDP’s retrogressive plans which threaten our democracy.

    “Again, while the PDP attempts to misinform the public on the rationale for declaring the Osun Governorship election inconclusive, they should be reminded that in 2015, the late Abubakar Audu of Kogi State was leading by 240, 867 votes to PDP 199,514 votes, the margin of 41,353 favoured the APC but it was declared inconclusive.

    “INEC ordered a rerun because 49,953 cancelled votes were higher than the 41,353 despite the fact that APC was leading with a wide margin. At the time, the PDP did not protest rather prepared and waited for the rerun date.

    “The PDP cannot be supportive of decisions only when it seemingly favours them. There are electoral precedents, guidelines and laws which are binding on all.

    “Finally, we reiterate our confidence that the Osun electorate will resist the PDP’s deployment to take over the state by force. The people’s will; the people’s vote is supreme. It must be respected and defended. That is democratic, progressive and the right thing.”

  • Osun Decides 2018: PDP rejects INEC’s inconclusive verdict

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the inconclusive verdict delivered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

    The party has insisted that the process was conclusive and that its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who won a total of 254, 698 votes was in clear lead and should be immediately declared winner by INEC, having met the requirements of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that Section 179 (2) (a)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), was clear and very unambiguous in spelling out the conditions for returning a candidate to the office of governor of a state.

    Quoting from the said Section, the PDP said, “A candidate for an election to the office of Governor of a State shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates – (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the State”.

    The main opposition party insisted that the declaration by INEC of the election as inconclusive, was a “sordid robbery” of the franchise of the people of Osun State, who participated in the election.

    Continuing, the PDP said, “It is obvious that having failed in their schemes to alter the final results due to the resistance of the people, the APC had to bear pressure on INEC to declare the election inconclusive so as to pave way for the perfection of their manipulative schemes, which the people of Osun state have firmly resisted so far.

    Read Also: Updated: INEC declares Osun governorship election inconclusive

    “Instead of yielding to the evil machination of the APC, INEC should have summoned the patriotic courage to immune itself and end this needless controversy by returning the PDP and declare our candidate as the winner.

    “It is instructive to state that the PDP will no longer accept inconclusive elections as subterfuge by the APC attain its dubious electoral manipulative schemes in our nation.

    “The people of Osun state and the entire nation are already aware that the PDP won this election. They have the authentic figures from the polling units and know the candidate the voters prefer.

    “The people, by their votes, have overwhelmingly declared for our candidate and we are not ready to accept any attempt by anybody to use any means whatsoever to steal our mandate freely given by the people.

    “The PDP is for peace, but we will not hesitate to use every force available in a democracy to face any attempt to subvert the will of the people or rig us out in this election”

    The party charged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to avoid the fury of the people by immediately reversing what it described as a “fraudulent” decision by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and declaring its candidate the winner of the election.

    “Anything short of this is definitely not acceptable to the PDP and the people of Osun and it is a direct recipe for crisis.

    “Finally, the PDP cautions INEC and the APC to note that the game is up. The people of Osun state have decided in favour of the PDP and that has become a fact that can never be altered”, the party added.

  • Local Observers: We saw vote buying by PDP, SDP, ADP

    Vote buying is a sign of weakness, says Oyetola

     

    Some local observers in the Osun State governorship election revealed on Saturday how they saw three of the participating political parties buy votes in some communities.

    The observers disclosed this during their visit to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gboyega Oyetola in Iragbiji.

    While commending the APC for not participating in vote buying in the election, the leader of the team, Comrade Richards Adebayo, said his team members saw members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) offering N1,500 to induce voters, African Democratic Party (ADP) offering N2,000 and Social Democratic Party (SDP) offering N3,000.

    He however, commended the electoral exercise, describing it as smooth and peaceful.

    Adebayo said his team members observed massive turnout by voters in virtually all the communities where they monitored the election. They include Osogbo, Iwo, Iragbiji, Ede and Ejigbo.

    He described the enthusiasm of voters as ‘unbelievable,’ adding that people voted without any fear or intimidation. He also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the smooth conduct of the election, saying the entire exercise recorded a marked improvement over the last one held in 2014.

    He said they saw voters who were already at polling units as early as 6:00 am, and with smiles on their faces.

    His words: “In this election, we observed that people were happy to come out and vote for the candidate of their choice. The card readers worked generally well except in few polling units. We have to commend INEC for that. In the last election (2014), many people were not happy because of the situation at the time. But today, people moved and cast their votes freely. As observers, we are encouraged that the electoral process is improving.”

    The observers urged Oyetola to support a strong electoral process if he wins in the race, stressing that it is one of the pillars of democracy.

    Read Also: ‘Criminalise vote buying’

    Responding, Oyetola commended the observers for taking time out to see things for themselves instead of relying on what he called ‘jaundiced reports.’ He also hailed the peaceful environment in which the election held and the enthusiasm of the people of the state as they chose their next governor.

    He pointed out that the improvement in the electoral system confirmed that democracy was growing in Nigeria.

    According to him, the situation would have been otherwise if the PDP was in charge of the Federal Government. “But we are peaceful people who allow everyone to follow their conscience in an election. I will continue with that culture if I win this race. You cut corners when you are not sure of yourself. Vote buying is a sign of weakness; it shows you are not sure of winning. We don’t have anything to fear because the APC government has done well. That is why our people want us to continue. We have done massive infrastructural renewal, offered good education, security, social protection for the vulnerable and less privileged. Another novel project of our administration is our support for people with mental ill-health. We take care of them and re-integrate them into their families. If we win, we will continue with the free meal for school pupils.”

    Oyetola also commended security agencies for their effectiveness which added to the success of the election.