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Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission

  • Nigerians shall have free, fair and credible elections – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has allayed the fears of Nigerians and assured of its readiness to conduct free, fair and transparent elections, beginning with the Presidential election on Feb 16, 2019.

    Speaking with media executives on the preparations ahead of the coming Presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, in Lagos, on Saturday, the National Electoral Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter education Mr Festus Okoye, said a total of 84,004,084 million Nigerians, have been registered to participate in this year’s election which will feature 91 registered political parties.

    According to him, the elections would take place in 1,558 constituencies and 774 local government areas, and results collation in 8,809 registration areas/wards, in 119,973 polling units and 57, 023 voting points nationwide.

    Okoye said a total of 73 candidates had been cleared to contest the presidential election, while the governorship election will be contested by a total of 1,068 candidates in 29 states of the federation. The 109 senate seats will be contested by 1,904 candidates, while 4, 680 candidates will jostle for the 360 seats in the House of Representatives.

    The 991 state constituency elections will have 14,583 contestants, while 806 candidates would be jostling for the 68 area council seats in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Okoye said INEC will be recruiting 17,618 senior academic staff of the various federal universities in Nigeria, to serve as collation and returning officers, as the commission, he said, have decided to have two collation officers or each of the 8,809 centres to facilitate timely collation of results.

    These returning officers, according to Okoye, would be assisted by 814,453 ad-hoc staff, madeup of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and in some cases final year students in federal universities, who are currently being trained across all the states of the federation.

    For logistics, the commission, Okoye disclosed has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Transport Workers Union, whose members are gong to be deployed nationwide to deploy and retrieve election personnel and materials on the days of elections. He added that all the vehicles to be involved in the exercise across the states would be certified by the federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), and all would have tracking devise installed by the commission, to ensure the safety of all personnel and electoral materials.

    The National Commissioner said Nigerians who are yet to collect their permanent voters cards have up to Feb 8, to do so at the local government offices of the commission nationwide, adding that all uncollected PVCs would thereafter be withdrawn for safekeeping pending the conclusion of the two strands of elections in the electoral calendar this year.

    Okoye said; “All the state offices and local government offices of the commission have taken delivery of the non-sensitive materials for the conduct of the elections, while the various branches of the Central banks of Nigeria are presently receiving sensitive materials for the conduct of the elections.”

    He said the commission has accredited a total of 116 domestic and 28 foreign election observers for the 2019 elections, while the commission’s chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on January 12, 2019, have signed the regulations and guidelines for the election.

    Okoye disclosed that among other innovations, the commission has enhanced the smart card readers, eliminated the use of incident forms, and has introduced the use of Braille jackets, agnifying glasses and assistive posters for persons living with disability, while it is also working on appropriate framework for internally displaced persons voting.

    Among other challenges listed by Okoye as confronting the commission this year are conflicting court orders arising from party primary elections, the number of political parties participating in the general elections, the size of the ballot papers, the management of polling units and the number of party agents and accredited local and foreign observers at each of the elections.

    He charged the media to collaborate with the commission in fighting the scourge of vote buying which is becoming a major issue, disclosing that the commission may be coming up with a number of innovations to nip the menace in the bud in the election.

    “We at Independent National Electoral Commission do not sell or buy votes, we are not in the business of midwifing or husbanding the votes. That is why we are calling on the media to help sensitise Nigerians to stop acts that would undermine the electoral process,” he added.

    Okoye assured Nigerians that the commission is determined to make the votes of all Nigerians count. “The commission would continue to conduct its activities in total obedience to the rule of law and due process,” Okoye stated.

  • INEC to deploy NYSC staff in 34 LGAs in Katsina

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Saturday in Katsina state dismissed fears that it will not be posting NYSC staff or conduct elections in the local Government areas affected by the recent upsurge in security challenges saying it had already conducted a workshop for senior security operatives in the state and training for about corps members selected for the exercise and therefore ready to deploy them in the 34 local government areas of the state

    The INEC training officer in Katsina State, Alhaji Abdul Azeez Hammed told the Nation in an exclusive interview at the training session being held at Kofa Sauri Primary School for about 1650 corps members, that a total of 7000 corp members were to be trained as electoral supervisors and are to undergo 3 day training in the state preparatory to the conduct of the general elections in the state

    He said “I am not aware about any plan not to conduct election in any part of the state or that the agency is not deploying the corps members and security operatives in any local government areas for now we are training the supervisors the training of Presiding officers who are mostly lecturers and academic will come up November 6th’’

    “There is a noticeable improvement in the level of security in the state and so INEC is certainly preparing to conduct elections in every part of the state, if the present momentum is maintained’’

    In a related development, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been commended by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), for its unflinching support to INEC, especially during election duties, and the continued cordial working relationship between the two agencies

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Katsina State, Alhaji Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa who gave the above commendation recently in Katsina while addressing the officials of the scheme during INEC training exercise, stressed that without the support of the officials of the NYSC, it would be very cumbersome for them to control the Corps Members.

    The INEC boss further assured that the security of corps members will remain paramount and compulsory in their plans for the election process.

    Meanwhile the State Coordinator NYSC Katsina State Hajiya Ramatu Sanda has charged corps members to maintain and uphold the integrity which the National Youth Service Corps NYSC has established over the years by doing the right thing during the fourth coming general elections.

    Hajiya Sanda made the call while addressing the corps members on election matters told the corps members to be extremely careful and be self-disciplined during INEC duties.

  • Zamfara: APC not eligible to field candidates – INEC insists

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again maintained its stand that the All Progressive Congress (APC), Zamfara is not eligible to filed candidates in forthcoming general elections.

    The decision was reached after reviewing the two conflicting judgement on the issue.  In the last one week, there have been two different court pronouncements on Zamafara, while a High Court

    in Zamafara favored the inclusion of the party, an Abuja High Court ruled in favour of the commission omitting the party from the contesting.

    INEC had excluded the party due to its failure to conduct its primaries within the time lag.

    The commission finally rolled out names of all the candidates to participate in the general elections excluding candidates from Zamfara APC.

    In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and  Voter Education, Festus Okoye stated that after considering both rulings, INEC has decided to maintain its earlier position that the party is not eligible to filed candidates for the 2019 polls.

    He supported this position with section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    The statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met today, 30th January 2019 and, among other things, approved the final list of candidates for the Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections scheduled to hold on 2nd March 2019. On the whole, there are 1,066 candidates for the Governorship elections, 14,583 for the State Assembly elections and 806 for the FCT Area Council elections broken down into 105 Chairmanship candidates and 701 Councillorship candidates.

    “The Commission reviewed the situation concerning the All Progressives Congress (APC) fielding candidates for the Governorship and State Assembly elections in Zamfara State.

    Commission noted that there are two court judgements on the matter – one from a State High Court in Gusau and the other from a Federal High Court in Abuja. The former judgement clearly said that the APC conducted primaries in Zamfara State, contrary to the position of the Commission. On the other hand, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the party did not conduct valid primaries and therefore is ineligible to field candidates for the elections.

    “The Commission would like to reaffirm its commitment to obeying all court judgements, even when it disagrees with them. However, these are clearly two contradictory judgements delivered by two courts of coordinate jurisdiction on the same day.

    “Consequently, the Commission has decided to maintain its original position that the party in question did not conduct primaries and, therefore, in line with Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), is not eligible to field candidates for the National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections in Zamfara State.

    “Commission also reviewed various aspects of its preparedness for the 2019 general elections and expressed satisfaction with the overall preparations for the elections. A meeting with all the Resident Electoral Commissioners will take place next week to further review the state of preparedness of each State.”

  • Bayelsa bans use of oil firm’s assets, security details for campaigns, elections

    The Bayelsa State Security Council on Friday prohibited the use of assets, personnel and security operatives attached to surveillance contractors from political activities in the state.

    Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kemela Okara, said in a statement the council also decided to restrict such personnel and their assets to their oil and gas platforms.

    Okara also said the council comprising the heads of all security agencies and top officials of the state government further banned the use of security operatives attached to very important personalities (VIPs) and political appointees for election purposes in adherence to the stipulated guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He said that it was further resolved the security agencies should not arrest, detain, or restrict the personal liberty of any leader or member of a political party without adherence to constitutional provisions.

    But, Okara said the council decided agencies could arrest any leader of political party found to have been involved in acts inimical to national security with immediate notification to the governor.

    According to him: “The Bayelsa State Security Council at its meeting held on Thursday, 17th January, 2019, resolved, amongst others as follows:

    “All assets, personnel and security operatives attached to surveillance contractors of oil and gas companies operating in the State shall be limited strictly to their designated areas of operations, and specifically within such oil and gas platforms or facilities.

    “Further, that in no circumstance should assets, personnel of surveillance contractors be used or involved in any political activity or electioneering processes.

    “All security operatives attached to VIPs, political appointees, etc, shall in no circumstance be used or be involved in any election processes in accordance with stipulated INEC guidelines.

    “No security agency, acting by itself or by its servants or agents or by any person(s) or authority howsoever described shall henceforth arrest, detain, or restrict the personal liberty of any member, stalwart or leader of any political party in Bayelsa State without recourse to the due process of law and/or court order, between now and the general elections.

    “In Exceptional cases bordering on proven national security breaches or where a person is seen committing an offence in the presence of a member of any security service, he may be arrested and investigated, in which case the Governor shall be notified immediately.”

    He said decisions of the council were meant to assure the Bayelsans of the commitment of the security agencies to be neutral, apolitical and professional in the forthcoming election in accordance with their respective service regulations, ethics and values.

  • Breaking: Zamfara APC: Court okays INEC’s rejection of candidates

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted within its powers by refusing to accept list of candidates for the next general elections from the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment on Friday, said it was not the fault of INEC that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral body.

    Read Also: Trial of CJN: Court of Appeal orders CCT to stay proceedings

    Justice Onjukwu said INEC’s action was intended to curb impunity among political parties and politicians; ensure that rule of law is adhered to.

    The judgment was on a suit filed in the name of APC by some individuals, who said they emerged from a consensus arrangement adopted by the party in Zamfara State.

     

    Details later.

  • 2019: INEC urges journalists on professionalism

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has called on women journalists to enthrone professionalism in the discharge of their duties, especially in the preparation for the forthcoming elections.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oyo state, Mr Mutiu Agboke gave the charge at the Commission’s headquarters office in Ibadan while playing host to Executive and members of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Oyo state council.

    The Oyo REC who challenged the female journalists to remain true to the ethics of the profession pointed out that he has never seen any female fake journalists in the state urging the association to continue to promote such good ethical values.

    Agboke appealed to the female journalists to continue to encourage citizens in their reports to pick up all uncollected PVCs which he said is still over 900,000.

    Read Also: Buhari pleased with INEC’s preparation

    He added that the PVC is the only means by which any citizen can participate in the forthcoming election.

    According to the Commissioner, INEC has a policy that encourages women participation in the electoral processes, including active participation in political party activities.

    Earlier, the Chairperson of Oyo NAWOJ, Comrade Jadesola Ajibola asked the commission to give all contestants a level playing ground during the forthcoming general election.

    She told INEC that Nigerians are optimistic that the forthcoming general election will be free credible and fair and that the commission must be seen to be unbiased in its conduct.

    She also promised that female journalists in the state will carry out their responsibilities as members of the fourth estate of the realm and will promote professionalism that will improve the electoral process.

    The delegation of the NAWOJ members on the visit included past chairpersons of the council, past and serving executives among other members.

  • 2019: Nobody can rig polls – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says nobody within or outside the commission can rig the forthcoming general elections.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, while responding to allegations made against the Commission by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, in Abuja.

    The PDP alleged that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was being compromised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency with offers of huge sums of money, choice property and juicy appointments to his relations to rig elections in favour of the APC.

    Oyekanmi asked the PDP spokesperson, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, to substantiate his allegations, describing it as baseless and unsubstantiated like other allegations.

    “Please ask him, where is the concrete evidence to support these new allegations? What does the country stand to benefit from this desperation to cause needless confusion?

    “Did he attend the meeting where such incentives were purportedly offered to the INEC Chairman? Does he have witnesses to support his assertions?’’

    Oyekanmi implored Nigerians to henceforth disregard and ignore any unsubstantiated allegations by the PDP spokesman against the INEC Chairman.

    “Rather than work with the Commission to ensure that the general elections less than 30 days away are successfully conducted, it is very sad that some people are determined to cast aspersions on the good work that INEC has been doing in the last three years just for their selfish interests.

    “Let me assure Nigerians that nobody within or outside INEC can rig the 2019 general elections.”

    Oyeknami reiterated that in the coming elections, every voter must present his or her Permanent Voter’s Card and must be verified, confirmed and authenticated by the Smart Card Reader before voting.

    “Accreditation and voting will be simultaneously done as had been the case since January 2016 when the commission conducted the Bayelsa governorship election.

    “It is important to also state that the Commission adopted this method because it was recommended by all the local and international observers that covered the 2015 General Elections.

    “This was after confirmation that more than two million voters did not return to cast their ballots after accreditation in that election for a number of reasons.

    Read also: PDP will put food on Nigerians’ tables, says Secondus

    “Indeed, INEC is capable of, and will conduct free, fair and credible general elections. All we ask is for all stakeholders to play by the rules,” he added.

    NAN recalls that Ologbondiyan had earlier addressed a press conference, calling on INEC to rise above the “manifest compromises’’ and conduct the 2019 general elections in a transparent manner.

    He said that the entire nation was worried and that the palpable fear of every Nigerian today was whether INEC could conduct an election that would be free, fair, credible and transparent.

    “This is particularly as allegations are rife in the public space, that the INEC Chairman is being compromised by the APC and the Presidency with offers of huge sums of money.

    “This also includes choice property within and outside Nigeria, as well as juicy appointments to his relations as bribes, in return for the rigging of the elections in favour of Buhari and the APC.

    “The PDP urges Prof. Yakubu to resist any such pressure.”

    Ologbondiyan said that the call was critical following plans to have accreditation and voting simultaneously to pave the way for participation of aliens, underage and unregistered voters; as well as allocate fictitious figures in favour of the APC.

    He also alleged that the PDP already had information that the geo-spatial centers created by the INEC in the six geo-political zones had also been dubiously duplicated by Mrs Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner.

    Ologbondiyan, who further made a series of allegations against INEC, advised Yakubu to demonstrate his credibility and ability to conduct free, fair and transparent elections by taking urgent and decisive steps towards addressing these fears by Nigerians.

    “To do this, we demand that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately rejig the electoral guidelines in a way that accreditation must be first concluded, number of accredited voters ascertained and openly announced before actual voting.

    “Anything short of this will only validate the position of Nigerians that INEC has been compromised by the APC,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • INEC concerned over unclaimed PVCs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) in Guri Local Government Council of Jigawa on Monday said that 4,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were lying unclaimed in the office.

    Alhaji Kabiru Ado, the INEC Electoral Officer in the council, said this at a sensitisation programme organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the area.

    He called on traditional rulers to prevail on their subjects to visit the commission’s office to collect their PVCs.

    “Remember, your vote is your power because it is the instrument you can use in electing credible candidates in elections.

    “Now, if you don’t have the PVC, you cannot vote and that is why I am calling on our traditional rulers to help in persuading the people to come forward and claim their PVCs,” Kabiru said.

    Earlier, Alhaji Hamza Wada-Guri, the NOA officer in the council, had advised prospective voters to follow INEC’s instructions and vote properly in the 2019 elections.

    Read Also: We’ve courage to conduct credible polls, says INEC

    “To vote correctly, you must ensure that your fingerprint appears within the column of the political party of your choice on the ballot paper.

    “The danger is that if your fingerprint appears outside the column, it might render your vote invalid,” he said.

    Wada-Guri advised politicians to desist from vote buying and other forms of rigging during the forthcoming general elections.

  • Spiritual Leader predicts victory for Buhari/Osinbajo

    Dr Ramas Azuzu, the Founder and Spiritual Leader of Liberation Temple of the Absolute God, has predicted victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in the February election, President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Asuzu gave the prediction while speaking with journalists in Nri, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra on Sunday.

    “Since this election build up, I have been asking questions at the spiritual realm, I consulted the spirits, the ancestors and the oracles; what they all told me is that Baba is on top,’’ he predicted.

    He, however, warned that there might be upheaval over the outcome of the election but called on Nigerians to pray hard against post-election violence.

    “When I inquired further who the Baba was, they said Sai Baba, so APC will win the election but it is going to stir uprising, there may be bloodshed that is why I am calling on Nigerians to pray feverently.’’

    Asuzu, who is also called Eze ji ofor Ndi Igbo (custodian of Igbo culture), described the Buhari-led administration as a necessary national intervention, noting that the country was headed for the woods at the time of their assumption of office.

    He lauded the policy of the administration which, he said, had encouraged growth in the sector and was leading it to self-sufficiency in food supply.

    “What I am seeing is like what I saw in 2013, when a merger that took over government was revealed to me, I called on the government of the day then to reshuffle its cabinet but he refused, and in 2015, it came to pass.

    “We thank God for the intervention of the All Progressive Congress (APC) government led by President Muhammadu Buhari that has checked corruption to an extent.

    “Nigerians may be hungry now because this administration came in when oil price was around 30 dollar, later we went into recession but they were still able to build infrastructure.

    “Again, the Agriculture sector has grown because of the policy of this government, more people are now farmers, states are now competing in rice production and importation which used to cost us billions of Naira has reduced,” he said.

    Asuzu said he was a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sympathiser, adding that it would not becloud his spiritual vision.

    “Buhari should stop vindictiveness because Nigeria has been fair to him enough, he should apply the federal character in his appointments and be fair to all.

    “As a person, I am Atikulated, I remain a strong member in PDP here in Anambra, I support their programmes.

    “But that will not make me to change what I see as a prophet, I am the crowned custodian of Igbo culture and worshiper of the Absolute God, PDP may be good for Nigeria but they will not win,” he said.

    The prophet, however, urged Buhari to use his God-given power for the good of all Nigerians and not to pursue vendetta against those he felt that opposed him.

    “I worship the Absolute God and he has told me that Buhari will remain in office; the warning now is that Buhari should not use his position to witch-hunt people again.

    He identified the system of election as a major challenge to the credibility of elections and called for a return to the Option A4 system.

    He said the Independent National Electoral Commission should be able to understand the enormity of their role as umpire and give Nigerians a credible election.

    “Since Independence, there has not been a free election apart from the one conducted by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu in 1993, using the Option A4, the system we have now encourages rigging that is why people don’t accept results.

    “So, I am saying that if we want to be true to ourselves, let us go back to Option A4 system where people will line up and be counted,” he said.

  • INEC trains staff to detect, counter fake news

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a two-day workshop for its Public Affairs officers (POAs) on how to detect and counter fake news on election-related matters.

    The training with the theme “Fake news, disinformation and Media Monitoring ‘’ was held in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) on Friday in Abuja.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), INEC-FCT, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said that the training would equip the officers on new strategies on how to handle fake news, which was a concern to the commission.

    Read also: Fake News as Symptom

    Bello said that the training would no doubt equip the officers to discharge their duties effectively as the commission prepares for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

    “As you already know, the dissemination of fake news has very negative effects not just on elections but other areas of life and must therefore be identified and discountenanced.

    “In particular, INEC is concerned with a situation where mischievous individuals post unofficial election results on the internet. This has the tendency of fomenting violence and mayhem resulting in the loss of precious lives and property.