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Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

  • Former Speaker gives INEC passmark

    Former Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, has hailed the conduct of the election in his polling unit, adding that he would give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a passmark, if the same scenario is replicated at the various polling units across the state.

    His words: “As far as this polling unit is concerned, I would say so far, so good. We have been restricted from moving around during the election, so I have no way of knowing what is happening elsewhere.

    Read Also: EFCC, INEC partnership targeted at opposition – Wike

    “But, if what us happening here is replicated in all the polling units,  I will give INEC a passmark and I will say that the exercise has been successful.

    “At this polling unit, the disabled were given the opportunity to cast their votes; some of them were assisted by their able-bodied counterparts.

    “As you can see, voting is still underway at this unit as at 1.30pm. This is because we have close to a thousand registered voters are registered here and the turnout is quite high.”

  • Omisore: I’ll win despite irregularities

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Dr Iyiola Omisore, expressed confidence that he would win the election despite irregularities.

    Addressing newsmen after casting his vote, he claimed he got reports from across the state that a lot of things were going wrong.

    He said he got reports that three All Progressives Congress (APC) thugs in police uniforms were arrested.

    He said the card readers failed to work in several places, while voting materials were yet to arrive in some as at 11am.

    He said unless the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted quickly to resolve the issues, the process would be totally flawed.

    “I cannot adjudge the process fair until these things are addressed,” he said.

    Asked about his assessment of the exercise so far, Omisore said: “The process is very bad. It’s not encouraging.

    “There are complaints everywhere. At least two APC thugs in uniform have been arrested.

    “The card readers are very, very slow; extremely slow. I’ve got reports from various parts of the state where there are no card readers at all; or if there are, they’re malfunctioning.

    “In parts of the South, up till now (around 11.30 am), they have not seen electoral materials or officers. So, the irregularities are much.

    “No card reader in Egbedore; Ife South no materials up till now; Osogbo Wards 4 and 5, no materials, no card reader; fake police men and APC thugs arrested; vote buying.

    “If we make complaints to them, they should rectify them.”

    Read Also: Osun Decides 2018: Omisore votes

    Omisore urged his supporters to remain steadfast and to resist vote buying, which he said they were already doing.

    “Unless INEC addresses these issues, we’ll lose confidence in the process. For now they have not done well.”

    Asked if he was still confident of winning despite the challenges, he said: “All over the state, SDP is the popular party everyone is voting for everywhere.”

    Omisore voted in Unit 003, Ward 1, located in St Gabriel Primary School, Moore, Ile-Ife.

    He voted at exactly 11.16 am having arrived the unit at about 11.04 am am.

    He was accompanied by his aides, with supporters chanting “Abere Straight!” in reference to the government house.

  • Osun 2018: TMG identifies violence prone areas

    …Group lauds INEC’s readiness for credible election

     

    As Osun State governorship election holds Saturday, an independent civil society election observation organization in Nigeria, the Transition Monitoring Group, has identified some parts of the state with tendency for violence.

    The group listed Ede, Iwo, Ife, Ilesa, Iragbiji, Ikire and Osogbo, the state capital among areas described as flash points that the security agents must pay serious attention to.

    Read Also:NSCDC deploys over 10,000 operatives for Osun guber poll

    At a press conference jointly addressed by the group’s chairperson, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, in Osogbo State on Friday, the TMG disclosed that it has assessed the situation before today’s poll and also sensitized the voters and the other stakeholders about their responsibilities before, during and after the election.

    The TMG chairperson advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to be professional in the discharge of their duty during the election.

    Afolabi-Akiyode, who is also the Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center, also urged the stakeholders in electoral process to shun vote buying and selling, saying everybody should work towards peaceful, free, fair and credible poll.

    Also, a non- governmental organization, the Pan African Women Projects, has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission for its readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible election in Osun State.

    Addressing a press conference during its pre-election assessment report in Osogbo on Friday, the Head of Mission, the Pan African Women Project, Dr. (Mrs.) Eno Udensi noted that the INEC has been transparent in its dealings.

    She said: “We observed a hardworking Independent National Electoral Commission INEC with a mission towards a transparent electoral process.”

    According to Udensi, the Pan African Women Projects consists of fifty-five nations of Africa and the Diaspora with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    She disclosed that the NGO recruited no fewer than 150 persons who are indigenes of Osun to form a formidable team with the international observers.

    Udensi, who identified inducement as bane of the current electoral process as it manifested heavily in the last gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, noted that the ugly trend is also rearing its ugly head in Osun through suspicious empowerment programme, distribution of gift items among others by the politicians.

    She endorsed the steps taken by the INEC to curb vote buying from the nation’s politics with measures such as restriction of electorate from carrying hand phones into voting arena and repositioning of polling arena.

    Dr. Udensi, however, described the campaigns and rallies by political parties across the state as expensive, adding however that the rallies were devoid of violence.

    In its contribution, the Director General, Centre For Credible Leadership and Citizenship Awareness Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, called on electorate in Osun to conduct themselves peacefully.

  • Osun 2018: Security beef up in Osogbo

    As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) put finishing touches to its preparation for Saturday’s governorship election in Osun state, security is being beefed up within Osogbo, the state capital and some of its adjourning towns.

    Earlier Thursday morning, at the commission’s office located on the Gbongan/Ibadan road, security men who were deployed to the state on election duties were seen arriving to be accredited and briefed on their involvement in the election process. Accreditation of security and other officials, including pressmen and election monitors was still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

    Expectedly, security has been beefed up at and around the INEC office. Some other locations within the state capital, including the state secretariat at Abere and the Central Bank of Nigeria building on Ede road, among others, are also being manned by security operatives.

    Not less than two armoured personnel carriers (APC) were sighted by our correspondent at the entrance of INEC office while another one was noticed around the Olaiya axis of the state.

    Read Also: Osun: INEC’s ban on phones will reduce vote buying – CSO

    Men of the Counter Terrorism Unit as well as mobile and regular policemen are involved in the task of providing security for lives and properties as the people of Osun prepare to elect a new governor on Saturday.

    The Nation also learnt that the security beef up in the town may not be unconnected with the arrival of sensitive materials meant to be used during Saturday’selection, earlier in the day. Sources who spoke to our reporters said the commission took early delivery of the materials to avoid any delay in the distribution of the materials for the election.

    “With the sensitive materials in town, one can understand the security beef up around town. It is all to forestall any attempt by any person or group to act funny. Don’t forget that 18, 426 policemen were deployed to be part of this election process. We are taking the issue of security very serious as we go along,’ he said.

  • INEC tasks political parties on credible primaries

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), has urged political parties to conduct credible primary elections ahead of the 2019 general polls.

    Alhaji Hussaini Pai, its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Plateau, gave this advice in an interactive session with the political parties on Wednesday in Jos.

    According to Pai, credible party primaries will ensure free and fair general elections in 2019.

    “We want you to conduct credible primaries, because only acceptable primaries will ensure free, fair and credible general elections in 2019,” he stated.

    The REC said the interactive session was part of the commission’s plans in ensuring acceptable general elections in 2019.

    He described political parties as critical stakeholders in the conduct of any election, hence the need to educate them on its level of preparedness.

    Read Also: Why Nigerians should participate actively in electoral process — INEC

    “INEC is determined to deliver free and fair elections in 2019; in fact, we are ready for it, but we cannot do it alone, and so key election stakeholders must be involved.

    “INEC is conducting elections for the parties because they are the ones, who present candidates who will stand for elections. This is why this type of interaction is necessary,” he said.

    Pai also advised the political parties to sensitise members on the need to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from the commission.

    According to him, more than 200, 000 PVCs remain uncollected by prospective voters in Plateau.

    “The commission didn’t produce these PVCs for fun, it was produced for the purpose of election and I wonder why people will not come to collect theirs.

    “People must know that it is only when you have your PVC that you will be allowed to vote on election days.

    “So we are urging all political parties to sensitise their members to go and collect their PVCs to enable them vote in the 2019 general elections,” he added.

  • Why Nigerians should participate actively in electoral process — INEC

    Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), on Wednesday said Nigerians should be more active in the nation’s electoral process as it affected them directly or indirectly.

    Ogunmola told News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that such effective participation was critical to democratic development.

    According to him, elections are vital in every democracy because the citizens have the franchise to elect leaders or representatives of their choice.

    He also said that citizens were also empowered not to re-elect representatives who did not perform to expectation on assuming elective posts.

    “’I want to advise that Nigerians should take the issue of electing people into office seriously because it will impact on them directly or indirectly.

    “’When you have representatives that you have chosen via votes of the larger majority of Nigerians in the various constituencies, it means that such representatives have a responsibility of taking care of the people within their constituency.

    “These elected officials represent them fully in the various offices they occupy, either at the national or state houses of assembly or whichever office.

    “They have a responsibility to the constituents of their various constituencies by pushing forward their needs and yearnings.

    “’So, I feel that Nigerians should be more alive and active in the issues of election,” he said.
    The commissioner said that voting should be made a compulsory exercise or a criterion for one thing or the other as obtained in some other countries.

    “In some countries like Argentina, they make voting a compulsory affair.

    “Even if you are not going to vote for one reason or the other, you must notify the electoral body several weeks before the election date, and they have a way of knowing whether you have voted or not.

    “In Nigeria, we can get to that level too. I’m sure that by the time we make voting a criterion for one thing or the other in this country, people will get more involved in the electoral process,” he said.

    On voter apathy, Ogunmola said that the commission had increased its collaboration with political parties.

    Read Also:INEC extends date of PVCs collection

    “The parties are the ones in need of the votes of the people and should do more than what they are doing right now in the areas of enlightenment and canvassing for votes.

    “This will enable more people to come out to exercise their civic responsibility,” he said.

    On 2019 general elections, the commissioner said that preparations were in top gear to ensure it was credible..

    “I want to assure you that come 2019, we will be able to give Nigerians a very good election,” he said.

  • National Assembly moves to rework rejected Electoral Act

    The National Assembly Monday took steps to repackage the controversial Electoral Act amendment Bill rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this month.

    Members of Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held a closed session Monday to articulate ways and means to reconsider contentious clauses of the rejected Bill.

    Read Also:Presidency faults National Assembly on INEC’s budget

    If the Bill is passed by the two chambers, that will be the fourth time the National Assembly will consider and pass the Electoral Act amendment Bill.

    President Buhari vetoed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, citing drafting issues, which he said were likely to affect the interpretation and application of the Principal Act.

    President Buhari in separate memos to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, said that some of the provisions of the Bill would adversely affect the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if allowed to pass.

    The rejection of the Bill by President Buhari was communicated to the presiding officers of the National Assembly in a letter dated September 3, 2018

    Although the issue of the use of electronic card readers was not raised by the President in his veto of the Bill, some stakeholders believed that the rejection of the Bill by President Buhari also meant that the card reader will not be used for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

    The Presidency on its part has come up strongly to say that the card reader was not part of what the National Assembly sent to the President for assent.

    President Buhari had in March this year turned down the amendment to the Electoral Law, which altered the sequence of elections.

    The amendment placed the National Assembly election first, followed by presidential election while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections would hold last in the order of elections.

    Buhari noted that “Section 25 of the principal Act may infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise, undertake and supervise elections provided in Section 15(A) of the third statue to the Constitution.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Suleiman Nazif who spoke briefly yesterday before the meeting went into closed door said, “I know that this committee is in the eye of the storm and Nigerians are desirous and expecting to hear from us.

    “Here we are, again, trying to address the Electoral Act for the fourth time. Nigerians will recall that there was a first Electoral Act (amendment bill), the second and the third one.

    “And if we pass this one it will be the fourth one. I believe that what we are doing is in the best interest of this country.

    “It will address all the fears and we will ensure that we equip INEC with what is necessary and what will ensure free and fair elections in 2019.

    “I will not be in a position right now to address the press and I don’t think any member of this committee is in a position to address the press.

    “We will have to look at what transpired (concerning the bill) in an executive session and tomorrow by 11am, we will call all press men and we will tell you in detail what transpired and the position this committee has taken.”

     

  • Guber aspirant to APC:  Contract direct primary to INEC

    A governorship aspirant o the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River state, John upon Odey wants the party to contract the process of its direct primaries to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make it error proof.

    Odey told The Nation in Abuja that while the process of direct primary is aimed at taking power back to the people, the party should develop a mechanism to ensure that the primaries are conducted the way they should be.

    Read Also:Osun election: Party accuses INEC of excluding its candidate

    The aspirant said stakeholders in Cross River state have met and unanimously agreed to adopt the direct primary option 8n selecting its candidate, but stressed that it would have been better conducted for the party by the electoral umpires.

    He said “We held a stakeholders meeting where we agreed to adopt the direct primary. I have my concern about direct primaries, even bough it is a wonderful idea. My concern is, how prepared are we?

    “Once you have something like this being implemented, the worst of us will always be looking for loopholes and how to take advantage of the system to advance their personal interest.

    “I am aware that using direct primary means taking voting back to our people. The party now has a responsibility to put in place a mechanism where this voting system is well protected and where the only people who should voting on that day are eligible party members.

    “They should ensure that there is a system in place to make sure that the people who are returning officers, collating these results from all voting centers get those results to the Centre for collation.

    “So, if I had my chance, I would be advocating that we contract our direct primary to INEC. The party gives the register to INEC, you come there with your membership card, you identify yourself on the register and vote.

    “We would have asked INEC to give us the cost of conducting the direct primaries across the country and we use the platform of INEC. By so doing, it will be fool proof. However, the party should be to deliver this system in the way it ought to be.”

    He however described as a wasteful venture the proposed mega highway planned by the PDP led government in the state, adding that money to be used for the project should be channeled to opening up smaller roads that open up the state as well as other infrastructural development that will benefit the people of the state.

  • Osun election: Party accuses INEC of excluding its candidate

    …Threatens court action

     

    One of the political parties seeking to field candidate for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State, the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of excluding its candidate from the commission’s list.

    NRM argued that despite supervising its primary as required under the Electoral Act, INEC has unlawfully excluded its candidate, Mrs. Jumoke Lawoyin, from the list of candidates for the gubernatorial election slated for next Saturday

    In a complaint, authored by its lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, to INEC Chairman, NRM argued that the commission’s “act of omitting, refusing and or neglecting to add our Client’s candidate’s name to your approved candidates list for the 2018 Osun State gubernatorial election is unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional and ought to be urgently rectified.”

    NRM, in the complaint, dated September 17, 2018 with reference No. KACCL/LET/RO/381/18, stated “that considering the peculiarity of this case and the urgency attached thereof, our Client requires that you should within 24-Hours of receipt of this letter, cause an amendment to be effected to the approved Osun State gubernatorial candidates list to include our Client’s candidate, otherwise, we may be constrained to perfect the brief of our client by employing all available legal mechanism at our disposal to ensure that our client is not dispossessed of their right to participate in the Osun State gubernatorial Election by this colossal omission.”

    It informed the INEC boss that NRM is a recognized and duly registered political party under the relevant laws in Nigeria with a mandate to attain political power through democratic and constitutional means for the purpose of creating socio-economic well-being of the citizens.

    The complaint reads in part: “Our client briefed us that by a notice dated 12th July, 2018, your office was informed of the conduct of our client’s primaries, sequel to which your representatives led by Mr. Asaolu Adeniyi Ishola were sent to observe and monitor the said primary election which held at Brymor Hotel, Agunbelewo, Oshogbo and in which Mrs Jumoke Lawoyin was confirmed and affirmed as our client’s candidate for the Osun State gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on the 22nd of September 2018.

    “However, it is our brief that despite the service of the requisite notice of the primaries on your commission as required by law and your subsequent participation wherein your staff observed the emergence of our client’s candidate for the impending Osun State gubernatorial election, your commission has negligently, unlawfully, illegally omitted, left out and excluded the name of our client’s candidate from the INEC approved list.

    “Our client further informed us that they have exhausted all available mechanisms of communication with your commission in other to rectify the anomaly which as explained to them was due to some administrative oversight which unfortunately has been left unattended, hence, the briefing our firm to formally take up their complaint with your commission.

    “It is trite law that every duly registered political party and candidate enjoys the constitutional right to vote and be voted for, we therefore implore you to within the specified period, accede to our client’s demands.”

  • 2019: INEC ready for primaries–REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) says it is ready for effective monitoring of the primaries of the 91 political parties.

    Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, said this on Friday in Awka at the quarterly meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

    Orji said that though the number of political parties recently increased to 91, the commission had put in place measures for effective monitoring of the primaries.

    “We have put the security agencies on alert on the up-coming parties’ primaries in the state and I believe security will not be an issue during the primaries,’’ he said.

    Orji, however, urged members of political parties to be peaceful during the exercise.

    He also said about  100,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected in the state, adding that the meeting deliberated on ways to step up action for speedy collection of the cards.

    Read Also: INEC vows to tackle vote-buying

    “It is disturbing that we still have this number of PVCs uncollected in spite of awareness by INEC to make the owners of these cards to pick them up,’’ he said.

    Mr Mike Okoli, the state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, gave an assurance that all security measures had been put in place for primaries and the 2019 general elections.

    “Even if the INEC says that election is coming up next week, for us in the security sector,  I feel we are battle ready to make sure that things work out properly,’’  he said.

    Mr Aremu Kehinde, the state’s Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), told newsmen that the scheme was committed to the security of corps members to be used as ad hoc staff during the elections.

    Kehinde, however, said that he was pleased with the arrangement made so far for corps members, assuring voters that they would be patriotic in their conduct during the exercise.