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Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission

  • Dickson: Nigeria heading for constitutional crisis if…

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson on Monday warned of a looming major constitutional crisis if the elections failed to hold as rescheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Dickson, who briefed journalists in Government House, Yenagoa, said there was a need for all stakeholders to work collectively to avert the crisis.

    To avert looming succession crisis, Dickson suggested President Muhammadu Buhari should immediately convened an expanded emergency meeting of the National Council of State.

    He said the meeting should have the service chiefs, INEC, political party leaders and their candidates and other major stakeholders in attendance.

    He said the stakeholders in the meeting should resolve on the new date for the postponed elections, adding that INEC was wrong to have unilaterally chosen next Saturday for the rescheduled poll.

    He cautioned leaders against name-calling, appealing to them to work in the interest of the country to avoid plunging Nigeria into avoidable succession crisis.

    He said it was unpatriotic for anyone to be calling for the removal of the INEC chairman, adding the country would be on a crossroad if two critical institutions of INEC and the Supreme Court were undergoing crisis at the same time.

    According to the governor: “This postponement belittled our country. It doesn’t show us as a serious country. Unless all stakeholders drop the habit of name-calling and claiming to be rights, we are moving close to a major constitutional crisis.

    “If anything should go wrong, we will have a full blown crisis; crisis of succession at a time the Supreme Court is also undergoing crisis.

    “We should not call for the removal of the INEC chairman. If INEC is in crisis and the Supreme Court is crisis I don’t know where we are headed.

    “I call on President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader of the country to convene an emergency meeting of the National Council of states to enable service chiefs and the INEC brief stakeholders on their preparations.

    “The meeting should involve the political party chairmen with the presidential candidates to examine the developing scenario which may plung our country into crisis. I believe that if we all sit down and know the circumstances, we should agree on a new date.

    “I disagree with INEC unilateral announcement of Saturday as a new date. I do not believe that all the challenges that INEC has can be resolved within six days.

    “A more sensible approach is needed. Our nation cannot afford another postponement”.

    The governor recalled that few hours to the postponed elections, Bayelsa did not have ballot papers for Presidential elections and stamps to authenticate votes.

    “Even now I am told there are issues of unserialised ballot papers”, he said adding that stakeholders expected customization of electoral materials.

    Read Also: Dickson: APC leaders don’t want me to receive Buhari

    The governor further commended Buhari for calling on security agencies to deal ruthlessly with troublemakers during the election.

    He said by such presidential directive, security agencies should no longer be encumbered from doing their jobs without fear or favour.

    He also disagreed with INEC on suspension of campaigns saying that his party would continue to engage the people in accordance with the established law of the land.

  • Unity schools not affected by shift of polls – FG

    The Federal Government Monday stated that the 104 unity schools are not affected by the shift in the dates of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The government explained that students of the schools are expected to resume from their midterm break Tuesday.

    Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, made the clarification in a telephone interview with our reporter in Abuja on Monday.

    Students of the unity colleges embarked on their midterm break on the 15th of this month.

    There were reports that the pupils may be affected by the shift in the dates of the general elections by INEC.

    But Echono said all the unity colleges are expected to resume their normal programmes Tuesday

    He said: “Unity schools are not closing. We only did our midterm because it was coinciding with the previous date.

    “The postponement of the election has nothing to do with our midterm break.

    “Our schools are resuming tomorrow and they are running our normal programmes. Our midterm break is over.

    “They are resuming after the midterm and they will be in school.”

  • Elections postponement: Delta stakeholders react

    Various reactions have continued to trail the postponement of this year’s elections, most of which have been a disapproval of the decision of the electoral umpire.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in the early hours of Saturday, the day for both the presidential and National Assembly elections, announced the postponement of the elections, citing inadequate preparations.

    In separate statements and chats with the Nation on Sunday, the former governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorogun O’tega Emerhor; legal luminary, Chief Albert Akpomudje (SAN); and Urhobo youth leader, Hon Morris Idiovwa, all condemned the postponement of the elections.

    Dr Uduaghan, who is also the APC candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District election, the development met his as a shock, noting that Nigerians from various economic and social backgrounds, especially those from the Niger Delta where the terrains are most difficult, had expended huge resources to access their various communities to be part of the elections.

    “I received with utmost discontentment and displeasure at about 3 a.m. today the 16th of February, 2019 amidst teeming supporters who kept wake with me the “breaking news” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its resolution to shift the Presidential/National Assembly Elections to Saturday, 23rd February, 2019.

    “My party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has already come out with a statement.

    “However, I wish to use this opportunity to thank my teeming supporters in Delta South Senatorial District who despite the difficult terrain mobilized to vote me as the senator representing Delta South in the red chambers. To you my brothers and sisters who left all their personal schedule, spent their personal money, time, resources, travelled long distance just to vote for me and my party, I truly appreciate your kind gesture.

    “We shall continue to be focused on the legislative issues that will bring permanent peace, faster and more robust infrastructure and human capital development in Delta South and by extension the Niger Delta. Like we have stated severally, this will include. I wish to appeal and plead with my teeming supporters to be calm, patient, keep hope alive and be more resolute to vote the APC come Saturday, 23rd February, 2019”, he said.

    In his response, Olorogun Emerhor, who is also the leader of the Mainstream APC in the state, said though the postponement was disappointing, there must be a genuine reason for it, expressing hope that the INEC would ensure a tidier preparation for the elections on the rescheduled dates.

    “We are all disappointed, but anything worth doing is worth doing well. I’m trusting that INEC has a genuine reason for the postponement. There have been accusations up and down but we hope that the postponement allows for a fair and credible elections. I also hope that they are putting things in place to ensure that materials that are distributed are protected and don’t fall into wrong hands”, he said.

    Legal luminary, Chief Akpomudje (SAN) said the development had cast doubts on the readiness and capability of the INEC to conduct the polls, describing the shift in the election dates as national disgrace.

    “Am sad and confused with the news this morning of the postponement of the election. There is the provision in the constitution for postponement of election, but the timing just few hours to the voting is worrisome. My fear is that is INEC ready for the election? If the answer is negative what becomes the faith of Nigerians. This is a national disgrace”, Akpomudje said.

    Also speaking, an Urhobo youth leader, Hon Morris Idiovwa, described the development as disappointing and cowardly, warning that any attempt to rig the election in favour of the ruling party would be resisted.

    “The development is highly disappointing and suspect, to say the least. Where are we to start counting the losses and the bad faith of the government behind this from? People have invested their resources and risked their lives by traveling and closing their businesses in anticipation of this election and the chairman of the INEC was so cowardly he waited till the morning of the election before announcing the postponement. I think will have to add my voice to those who have called for his resignation or sack.

    “We want a free, fair and credible election and we want it done, fitting into what is obtainable in any civilised nation. We have learnt that this postponement may have something to do with giving the ruling party an undue advantage over the opposition parties, we will reject any untoward and manipulated outcome of all the elections this year”, Idiovwa said.

  • Buhari expresses disappointment over shift in general elections

    *To immediately return to Abuja

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday in Daura, Katsina State expressed his disappointment over the postponement of the 2019 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Buhari was in his home state since Thursday for the All Progressives Congress Presidential campaign rally and to vote for the presidential election earlier scheduled for Saturday.

    But INEC, in the early hours of Saturday had announced postponement of the elections by another one week due to some challenges.

    The President in a statement on Saturday said “I am deeply disappointed that despite the long notice given and our preparations both locally and internationally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections within hours of its commencement.

    “Many Nigerians have traveled to various locations to exercise their right to vote, and international observers are gathered.

    “INEC themselves have given assurances, day after day and almost hour after hour that they are in complete readiness for the elections. We and all our citizens believed them.

    “This administration has ensured that we do not interfere in any way with the work of INEC except to ensure that all funds were released to the commission.”

    He urged INEC to ensure that materials already distributed are safe and do not get into wrong hands.

    He also charged the electoral umpire to do everything to avoid the lapses that resulted in this unfortunate postponement.

    Read Also: Buhari’s statement on postponement of elections by INEC

    Buhari tasked INEC to ensure a free and fair election on the rescheduled dates.

    He added “While I reaffirm my strong commitment to the independence, neutrality of the electoral umpire and the sanctity of the electoral process and ballot, I urge all political stakeholders and Nigerians to continue to rally round INEC at this trying national moment in our democratic journey.

    “I, therefore, appeal to all Nigerians to refrain from all civil disorder and remain peaceful, patriotic and united to ensure that no force or conspiracy derail our democratic development.

    “I have decided to move back to Abuja to ensure that the 14.00 hrs meeting called by INEC with all stakeholders is successful.

  • INEC was never prepared for 2019 polls – Balarabe Musa

    Former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, on Saturday expressed disappointment over the postponement of the general elections, but declared that Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was never prepared for the exercise in the first place.
    INEC had announced the postponement, few hours to the kickoff of the Feb. 16 Presidential and National Assembly polls.
    Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, while announcing the postponement in Abuja, attributed the step to “overwhelming logistics and operational challenges”.
     The commission fixed Feb. 23 and March 9 as new dates for the  Presidential and National Assembly elections and, the Governorship and State Assembly polls respectively.
    But Musa, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),  in Kaduna on Saturday, said he was disappointed, but not surprised, at the development.
    “I am not surprised because INEC was never ready for the exercise, given the level of its preparations.
    “INEC had serious funding challenges; what was appropriated to the commission by the National Assembly was not adequate and everyone knew it.

    Read also: INEC chairman speaks on postponement of polls

     “We are not even sure if the approved amount was released to the electoral body by the Federal Government.
    “The logistics and operational challenges are glaring. There are also serious security challenges that may affect the agency in the course of the elections.
    “The security services are facing the same funding crises and most of them are living in fear.
    “You can also see the serious challenges being faced by the  Judiciary, who are supposed to play a major role in the election process,” Musa said.
    “So, I must say that I am disappointed, but, again, as I said, I am not surprised.
    “I hope that  all the stakeholders will take the  necessary measures to help INEC address the issues before Feb, 23, the new date for the Presidential polls, because the President can only handover power to an elected person.”
    Musa called on Nigerians to remain calm, while waiting for the new dates for the polls. (NAN)

  • Election postponement: Remain peaceful in face of provocation, Atiku urges

    Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party and Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to remain peaceful in the face of provocation occasioned by the postponed of the elections.

    He was reacting to the postponement of the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    In a statement he signed, Mr Atiku said the postponed was orchestrated by the President Muhammad Buhari administration.

    He, however, urged Nigerians not to be disillusioned but to come out and vote on the rescheduled date.

    The full statement below:

    Dear citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,

    As you know, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced a postponement of the elections until 23 February and 9 March respectively.

    The Buhari administration has had more than enough time and money to prepare for these elections and the Nigerian people were poised and ready to perform their civic responsibility by voting in the elections earlier scheduled for Saturday, 16 February, 2019.

    Read also: Confusion trails general polls as INEC postpone election

    This postponement is obviously a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. By instigating this postponement, the Buhari administration hopes to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate in order to ensure that turn out is low on the rescheduled date. Nigerians must frustrate their plans by coming out in even greater numbers on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March respectively.

    Knowing that the Nigerian people are determined to reject them, they are desperate and will do anything in their power to avoid their rejection by the Nigerian people.

    Their plan is to provoke the public, hoping for a negative reaction, and then use that as an excuse for further anti-democratic acts.

    As such, I call on all Nigerians to be patient. We have tolerated the maladministration of this government for four years. We can extend our tolerance a few more days and give them our verdict via our votes.

    Maintain the peace and be law abiding. Do not react to this provocation with anger, violence or any action that might be exploited by those who do not want this election to hold. Remain calm. We will overcome this. You can postpone an election, but you cannot postpone destiny.

    Please come out to vote on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March respectively. Frustrate those who do not want this election to hold by coming out in very large numbers. That is the best antidote to their plans.

    May God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Update: INEC might postpone 2019 election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is considering postponing Saturday’s presidential and national assembly’s elections.

    INEC is said to be discussing the possibility of shifting the date of the election over logistics problems.

     

    Details shortly…

  • UN sues for calm, patience among Nigerians

    The United Nations has sued for calm and patience  in Nigeria ahead  of the elections.

    The  Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Mr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, commended “Nigerians for a pre-election period that had been largely, peaceful and participatory”.

    Chambas, who is also Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), “encouraged all Nigerians to continue to maintain calm and to exercise patience and restraint throughout the voting process and the announcement of the final results”.

    While welcoming the signing on February 13, of the Second National Peace Accord by Presidential candidates, Chambas urged them to “mobilize their sympathisers and supporters to adhere to the tenets of free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible elections, devoid of hate and denigration of each other”.

    He called on “all Nigerians to firmly reject all undemocratic and negative voices that may seek to disrupt the elections and promote conflict between Nigerians”.

    The UN Special Representative encouraged Nigerians to come out in their numbers and cast their vote peacefully in exercise of their civic responsibility.

    He affirmed that the success of the polls is the responsibility of all Nigerians and relevant Nigerian institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties, candidates, religious leaders, civil society.

    The UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel urged “all candidates and party leaders to seek redress of any grievances they may have through legal and constitutional means”.

    While calling on the all stakeholders to prioritise the interest of the country, Chambas hoped “that the successful conduct of peaceful, free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible elections would set another example for the elections coming up in West Africa and Africa, and underscore Nigeria’s leadership in the region”.

  • AGF calls on INEC to allow Zamfara APC field candidates for elections

    The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, (SAN) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) Zamfara, field candidates for the general elections.

    Malami, who doubles as the Minister of Justice, made the call in a letter to INEC dated Feb. 13, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The minister said that INEC could not foreclose the right of a political party to participate in elections without recourse to the Act.

    “My office received a petition from the firm of M. A. Mahmud, (SAN) & CO, in respect of the need to urgently consider Sections 38 and 39 of the Electoral Act and extend the time for the APC Zamfara to field a gubernatorial candidate in the light of a Zamfara High Court judgment in suit No.ZMS/GS/52/2018.

    “The letter was requesting that the subsisting judgment in the suit be upheld and respected by INEC, as the Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal with No. CA/S/23/2019; thus effectively annulling the grounds upon which the purported cancellation of the APC Primaries in Zamfara by INEC was based.’’

    Malami, in the letter invited INEC to comply with the judgment of the Court of Appeal by admitting the results of the APC Zamfara primaries.

    He also invited INEC to comply with the provisions of Section 38 of the Electoral Act, which empower the commission to postpone the election for the governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly elections.

    He said this was in view of the fact since the Court of Appeal had upheld the primaries as valid, the APC in Zamfara would need a little time to catch up with its contemporaries in the election.

    “Granting them this concession is not necessarily a favour but a right that inures to all contestants under similar circumstances.”

    The AGF maintained that by the doctrine and principle of judicial precedence, the appeal superseded the Federal High Court’s position which foreclosed APC Zamfara from fielding candidates in the Feb. and March general elections. (NAN)

  • Fears over Obasanjo’s link with foreign poll observers

    There is anxiety in political circles over the composition of some of the international observer missions deployed in the country for the general elections. The presidential election is slated for Saturday.

    The popular thinking is that former President Olusegun Obasanjo may have been influential to the composition and emergence of some of the chairmen of some of the observer groups.

    The ex-President, who is backing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is suspected to have sold an agenda to these observers, based on a  perception of what a source described as a “willy-nilly” regime change.

    Some of the groups are suspected to be in the country to “work to the answer” by prejudging the election as “not free, fair and credible” — a perception that has been debunked.

    But it was gathered that the Federal Government is “paying keen interest” to their activities.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accredited 144 observer groups, including 116 domestic and 28 international teams.

    The foreign groups are:  African Bar Association;  African Parliament of The Civil Society; African Union; British High Commission; Democrat Union of Africa; ECOWAS; Elections Cameroon, Republic of Cameroon; and the  Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.

    Theere are also Embassy of France; Embassy of Japan; Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Embassy of The Republic of Korea; European Centre for Electoral Support; European Union; German International Agency;  High Commission of Canada;  and the International Foundation For Electoral System.

    The International Human Rights Commission; International Peace Commission; International Republican Institute; the National Democratic Institute; the Network for Solidarity; and the Empowerment and Transformation for All were also accredited to cover the elections.

    Other international observers are Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation; Pan African Women Projects;  Pan African Youth Training and Enlightenment Centre;  Queen Zara Foundation for Human Resources Development; The Commonwealth; and the United States Embassy.

    Some of the observer groups are being led by some ex-leaders, including  ex-Tanzanian President Dr. Jakaya Kikwete (Commonwealth Observer Group); former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (African Union);  ex-Liberian President Ellen  Johnson-Sirleaf (ECOWAS); and Maria Arena (the Chief Observer, European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria).

    Ms Arena is a member of the European Parliament from Belgium. Kikwete is “a well known friend of Obasanjo” a source said, adding: “He was regular at the Ota Farm House Dialogue in the eighties. They even worked together at the African Union on the NEPAD programme.

    Obasanjo is also believed to be close to Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf. “We all know Nigeria’s role in Liberia during the Obasanjo Presidency,” the source said, pleading not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media.

    Another source spoke of an intelligence report that some of the observer groups are in Nigeria to work in line with “pre-determined agenda” of their countries. Besides, the source noted that it was wrong for some ambassador to be moving round the country on “election tourism” without the foreign minister’s permission.

    The Federal Government had last week raised the alarm that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) was planning to send a delegation to some western capitals.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The security report available to the government indicated that some foreign observer groups are already biased and they are in the country to act out a script already written for them.

    “Some countries already accused of interfering in the internal affairs of Nigeria have exerted much influence on the observer missions to discredit the poll.

    “These groups have prejudged the election as not free, fair and credible. This is going to be their ultimate verdict, irrespective of what the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) does.

    “The most disturbing in the security report is the fact that some chairmen and members of these observer groups have links with a former President who is suspected to have influenced their choices for a purpose.

    “A few of them had been visiting the ex-President in the past and some were even helped to power through the international goodwill of the ex-leader.”

    The intelligence source added that some of the observers may have been playing into the hands of those plotting “an electoral stalemate and drag Nigeria into a political crisis to put an interim government in place”.

    “They are ready to do whatever they can to get President Muhammadu Buhari out of power.”

    Responding to a question, the source said the surveillance on some observer groups showed that they were violating the code of conduct put in place by INEC.

    On its website, INEC says: “All accredited observers shall abide by the code of conduct for election observers, which is available for download on the INEC website (www.inecnigeria.org).

    “INEC reserves the right to cancel and withdraw the accreditation of any organisation if its members or agents breach the code of conduct.’’

    But some missions have already assured Nigerians that they will be impartial.

    The  Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Dr. Jakaya Kiwete, on Monday said the mission will be impartial in its assessment of the elections.

    He said the group will  issue an interim statement on its preliminary findings on the first set of elections on February 18.

    He said the18-man team of observers was  drawn from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

    They were deployed to observe the opening, voting, closing, counting and the results management processes.

    This is the sixth time a Commonwealth Observer Group will be observing elections in Nigeria since 1999.

    Kikwete, a former President of Tanzania,  made the clarifications  in a statement in Abuja against the backdrop of anxiety over the roles of the group and others.

    He  said: “Our Group was constituted following an invitation from the Independent National Election Commission, drawing together 18 eminent persons from across the different regions of the Commonwealth, including Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

    “We come in our own individual capacities, bringing a wide range of expertise in the areas of election administration, political development, law, human rights, civil society, gender, youth, as well as media.

    “As a group, we are here to observe the organisation and conduct of the election process as a whole, and will form an impartial and independent assessment of its credibility.

    “The Commonwealth Observer Group will consider the pre-election period, polling day itself, as well as the post-election period. Our main task is to assess whether the elections have been conducted according to the national, regional and international standards to which Nigeria has committed itself, including its own laws.

    “On election day, we will observe the opening, voting, closing, counting and the results management processes.”

    The group will submit a final report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General and, thereafter, share with the Government of Nigeria, INEC, political parties, Commonwealth governments, then make it public.

    The group expressed hope that its presence will confirm the unwavering solidarity of the Commonwealth with Nigeria as the country conducts the elections.

    The group however encouraged all citizens to “play their part in ensuring peaceful and credible elections this weekend.”

    The Head of EU EOM, Maria Arena, said: “It is a great honour for me to lead this important EU Election Observation Mission to Nigeria. I am hopeful that our observation will provide a meaningful contribution to the electoral and democratic process in Nigeria.”

    In a statement, the EU EOM said: “The EU only deploys an election observation mission when it is invited to do so by the authorities of a country.  The EU has been invited to observe all of the general elections in Nigeria since 1999. Thus, this is the sixth time the EU is observing elections in Nigeria.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission invited the EU to deploy an observation mission for the 2019 general elections.

    “EU election observation missions give commentary and analysis, and make recommendations about the electoral process. EU election observation missions are impartial, do not interfere in the electoral process, and operate according to a strict code of conduct.”

    But the Buhari Media Organisation( BMO) has cautioned Kikwete against being used by Obasanjo former President.

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    A statement  by the Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary of BMO,  Cassidy Madueke, the group said: “Many Nigerians are worried that the head of the Commonwealth observer group may be swayed by Obasanjo’s skewed pre-election position that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not have the integrity to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

    “This concern, we know, is as a result of the long-standing friendship between the two former Presidents which began long before Kikwete became the head of the Tanzania government in 2005. But we are encouraged by the values that the Commonwealth holds sacrosanct, and the fact that the head of the election observer team has a track record as a peacemaker, especially in the Great Lakes region of East Africa.

    “So we hope that Kikwete would resist the pressure that will surely come from former President Obasanjo who believes that he has a divine role to determine the winner of the Presidential election.”