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Tag: INEC Chairman

  • Magu meets INEC chairman, vows to track campaign finances

    The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, on Thursday night met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to discuss ways of tracking campaign finances by all political parties.

    Magu also vowed that the anti-graft agency will not spare people who collect bribe to rig elections.

    Magu made the vow at a closed door session with Yakubu and all the National Commissioners of INEC in Abuja.

    The session was a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between INEC and EFCC on how to check poll bribery, inducement, vote buying and deployment of illicit funds for campaign purposes.

    Magu said: “The audacious move by the commission is part of a collaborative initiative that will see the EFCC join forces with other law enforcement organisations in the country to enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act which criminalises financial inducement by political parties and their candidates during electoral campaigns and at polling centres on election day.

    “We will be working with all stakeholders, especially from the security and intelligence community, to stop the practice of vote buying and other financial malpractices that undermine the integrity of our elections.

    “To this end, and starting from the governorship election in Osun State this weekend, the Commission has fully mobilised its investigative resources in a proactive move to stem the incidence of vote buying and other financial inducements that had bedeviled the nation’s electoral process.”

    He asked the electorate to be vigilant and resist vote buyers under any guise.

    He said: “It is important to state here that those who offer bribes for votes are as guilty as those who receive such gratifications. My candid advice to the electorate is to be vigilant and resist the temptation to sell their votes.

    “After the widely acclaimed peaceful transfer of power from a sitting president who was the candidate of the then ruling party to the candidate of the opposition party in 2015, the 2019 general election offers Nigeria the opportunity to deepen her emerging democratic culture that is free and participatory. We must guard this process by shunning all forms of electoral malpractices.”

    The EFCC chairman advised Nigerian voters to be “vigilant in the exercise of their franchise by resisting monetary inducement for votes, as those who dangle such carrots cannot be trusted to protect their interests once in power.”

    Magu, however, assured that the commission’s intervention will be moderated by national interest and the rule of law.

    “We will not take any step that is not sanctioned by law.

    “We call on aspirants to elective offices to apprise themselves of the provisions of the Electoral Act on campaign financing as anything done outside the law would be considered as corrupt practices and dealt with accordingly.” he added.

    He warned officials saddled with the conduct of the 2019 general election to learn from the poll bribery scam which trailed the 2015 general poll.

    “No one who collects money to rig election will be spared,” Magu assured.

    He urged religious leaders, traditional rulers and civil society organisations across the country to come to the aid of INEC by helping to educate the electorate to “vote right and not sell their conscience for filthy lucre.”

  • 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.”

  • INEC to conduct four bye-elections same day, says Yakubu

    …Meets RECs to discuss voter registration, collection of PVCs

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) will be conducting four bye-elections within the next 30 days, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has said.

    Yakubu also said that the time-table and schedule of activities for the bye-elections will be released Friday.

    The bye-elections are: the National Assembly elections in respect of Bauchi South Senatorial district, Katsina North senatorial district and the Lokoja/Koton Karfe Federal constituency in Kogi state. While the fourth one, a state assembly is in respect of Obudu I state constituency. The seats were declared vacant by the National Assembly and state assembly.

    Read Also:INEC to ‘curb’ vote buying

    INEC boss, who spoke Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of a regular meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja said meetings with stakeholders in the affected states are ongoing.

    He said: “the commission is set to conduct bye-elections to fill the vacancies in the four constituencies which have a total of over two (2million) million registered voters spread across 3,355 polling units in 234 wards and 22 Local Government Areas.”

    “Consultations with stakeholders in the affected states are ongoing. Considering the requirement of the law that such elections shall be conducted by the commission within 30 days following the declaration of vacancy, we are planning to conduct all the four elections on the same date. The detailed timetable and scheduled of activities will be released on Friday this week,” he added.

    The bye-elections, he said will also serve as a test ground for the various innovations and improvement made on the process ahead of the Osun governorship poll scheduled for Saturday, 22nd September 2018.

    “These bye-elections will offer the Commission yet another opportunity to fine-tune our processes and procedures in preparation for the Osun state governorship election and ultimately the 2019 general elections,” he stressed.

    He therefore assured Nigerians that the commission will continue to improve the quality of elections in the country.

  • INEC Chairman fails to honour court’s invitation

    INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu yesterday failed to appear before the Federal High Court, Abuja to show reasons why he should not be committed to prison.

    At the last adjourned date, Justice Stephen Daly Pop Pam gave the order following the dismissal of the preliminary objection filed by the INEC Chairman challenging the contempt suit brought against him and others by Ejike Oguebego of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.

    The contemptor said the objection filed by the plaintiff was an abuse of court process.

    Also the Supreme Court had directed INEC never to recognise any other list, except the one submitted by the plaintiff, which the contemptor refused to adhere to.

    Justice Pam, in his ruling on July 5, said the contemptors have failed to place evidence that the plaintiff’s tenure of office had expired.

    At the resume of hearing yesterday, INEC counsel Chief Adeboyega Awomolo (SAN) applied for an adjournment to enable him respond to the application filed by counsel to the applicant, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), to show cause why the contemptor was absent from court.

    “I will be asking your lordship for an adjournment to enable me respond,” Awomolo held.

    He also added that he had filed a notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal against the ruling delivered at the last adjourned date.

    According to him, he was yet to be served by the applicant that the matter be heard during vacation.

    But, Uche opposed the application for an adjournment, urging the court to proceed with the hearing of the matter

    Justice Pam said the fiat issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to hear the matter during vacation was subsisting and that the court would continue to sit during vacation.

    The trial judge told counsel to advise their clients not to disobey orders of court.

    “The contemptor cannot ask favours from the court while he continues to disregard orders of court,” Justice Pam held.

    The judge adjourned the matter till August 1 to enable the contemptor appear before the court in person to show cause why he shouldn’t be committed to prison.

     

     

     

  • We’ve registered 9.7 million new voters, says INEC chairman

    •U.S., UK funding of election in Nigeria to hit $60m

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it registered 9.7 million new voters between April 27, 2017 and June 14.

    INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated this yesterday at the INEC Youth Votes Count Campus Outreach at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    The event was organised in collaboration with the European Union (EU) in commemoration of Europe Day 2018 and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES).

    Mahmood, who delivered the keynote address, launched an INEC voter registration centre at the university as well as the Voter Education Volunteer Programme (UNILAG) chapter.

    He said: “From the 27th of April last year till 14th of June this year, we registered 9.7 million new voters in Nigeria. The majority of them are young people. So, you have the power to change. There cannot be proper elections conducted in this country without young people…”

    He said the antidote to security challenges at polling centres is active participation by the electorate.

    According to Mahmood, “nobody will take a gun where they know they will be challenged, but when people abandon polling units, it becomes easier for merchants of violence to disrupt the process.”

    The event was also attended by Head of EU delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ambassador Ketil Karlsen; Project Coordinator, ECES, Rudolf Elbling; and Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Lagos State, Sam Olumekun.

    Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, actor/comedians Bright Okpocha, alias Basketmouth, Ayo Makun (alias AY), Helen Paul (alias Tatafo) led a panel of discussants at the event.

    Karlsen urged the youth to take advantage of their numerical strength and own the electoral system in Nigeria.

    He added: “What I would really like to assemble is the strongest partnership ever between the European Union and Nigeria and strongest partnership ever between the European Union and the youth of Nigeria.”

    Jalade-Ekeinde said: “The point is not whether or not the candidate of your choice wins but the point is to put the numbers behind them to give them the needed confidence to try again. Come 2019, we should be ready to waste our votes even if it is just to make a point and disrupt the status.”

    Basketmouth, AY and Tatafo urged young adults to go beyond merely complaining but get their Permanent Voter Cards and exercise their franchise either by contesting for office or voting.

    UNILAG Vice Chancellor Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe urged the students to seize the opportunity provided by the event to “participate in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise” and collect their permanent voter cards.

    “This voter education campaign for students of tertiary institutions must be applauded,” Ogundipe added.

    It was learnt yesterday that the United States (U.S.) and United Kingdom (UK) funding of election activities in Nigeria since 2014 will soon hit $60 million.

    UK recently pledged additional $7.3 million, which bring to $26 million the total support for the country. The U.S. has supported Nigeria with $34 million within the said period.

    The latest pledge, according to a statement by Mr. Joe Abuku, Press and Public Affairs Officer, British High Commission, is contained in the amended Memorandum of Understanding to extend joint funding to support Nigeria’s electoral process through 2020.

    The statement reads: “On June 22, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) amended a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to extend their joint funding arrangements to support Nigeria’s electoral processes through 2020 with an increased DFID contribution.

    “The additional £5.5 million (US $7.3 million) pledged by the UK brings DFID’s contribution to the joint funding arrangements since 2014 to $26 million, augmenting the $34 million provided by USAID since that time, bringing the total funding support for free, fair, transparent, and peaceful Nigerian elections through this joint mechanism to $60 million over six years.

    The amendment update was signed at the U.S. Embassy by USAID Mission Director Stephen M. Haykin and DFID Governance and Social Development Team Leader Oliver Blake.

     

     

     

  • 2019: INEC assures EU, Development partners of credible elections 

    2019: INEC assures EU, Development partners of credible elections 

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured the European Union (EU) and other development partners of the commission’s readiness to conduct more credible elections in 2019.

    The commission therefore sort the support of international partners INEC welcomes the in the areas of voter education and sensitization; training and capacity-building for Commission staff, officials of political parties and security agencies; the promotion of inclusivity with particular reference to women, youths, persons with disabilities and the internally displaced as well as election conflict mitigation.

    Yakubu spoke Thursday in Abuja at the occasion of the formal launch of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) project.

    The EU-SDGN support programme, which was conceived under the National Indicative Programme 2014 – 2020 and funded through the 11thEuropean Development Fund (11th EDF) is aimed at consolidating democracy in Nigeria.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu also said that the electoral body will continue to ensure the consolidation of electoral processes as well as the integrity and credibility of electoral outcomes based on the will of the people and the rule of law.

    Assuring EU and other partners, He said, “Once again, let me reassure the EU Delegation to Nigeria that we will spare no effort in improving the credibility of our elections and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria. INEC will continue to welcome international election observation missions. The Commission considers the deployment of such missions as an important means of enhancing public confidence and trust in the electoral process. We have already released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2019 General Elections. We hope that interested international election observation missions can commence early planning for the deployment of observers. The Commission is ready to facilitate the process in accordance with our guidelines. ”

    Speaking on the project, INEC boss said “Today’s project launch is unique. I wish to express our appreciation to the European Union Delegation to Nigeria for the formulation of the SDGN Project and it is my expectation that the implementing partners will continue to work in synergy to deliver the envisaged support to all targeted beneficiaries in order to further strengthen democratic institutions and the electoral process in Nigeria. We are all the more excited because the EU-SDGN Project being launched today is expected to be implemented from 2017-2022 which coincides with the implementation timeframe of our Strategic Plan and Strategic Plan of Action 2017-2021.”

    The strategic areas of intervention in the project, including support to INEC, he said were carefully developed in close consultation and collaboration with all relevant election stakeholders.

    He also hinted that while the basic indicators for the project was derived from the recommendations of the EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) report on the 2015 General Elections, several national stakeholders made significant input to its formulation.

    He hailed the project describing it as yet another demonstration of EU’s enduring commitment to the promotion of the rule of law, good governance and democracy in Nigeria.

    Yakubu said, “The EU and other development partners have made notable contributions in supporting INEC to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commission. For our part, we will continue to cooperate and work with the EU, as well as other development partners and all stakeholders, to ensure the consolidation of our electoral processes as well as the integrity and credibility of electoral outcomes based on the will of the people and the rule of law.

    “The Commission will continue to support our partnership with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) which is saddled with the responsibility of implementing EU support to INEC. We will work with all the implementing partners towards promoting credible elections involving the full participation of all segments of society irrespective of age, gender and disability.”

  • 2019: INEC fixes Presidential, NASS elections for Feb.16

    2019: INEC fixes Presidential, NASS elections for Feb.16

    The 2019 Presidential election is only 423 days away, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Friday.

    According to the time table released by the commission, Nigerians are expected to elect the president on February 16, 2019.

    Also scheduled for the same day is the election into the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    News of the election dates was broken by INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at an induction retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    The Governorship, State Assembly and Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory will follow on 2nd March 2019,” Yakubu said.

    The implementation of the 2019 Election Project Plan is to begin on   January 1, 2018.

    He said an additional 3,630,529 voters were registered in the recent continuous registration.

    “This is an important development in our efforts to ensure that electoral services offered to Nigerians are better, more frequent and easier to access than ever before,” he said.

    This exercise will continue until 60 days to the 2019 General Elections, as a provided by the Electoral act.

    The INEC Chairman said the commission was “working assiduously to ensure 100% performance of the Card Readers. That is why there is an ongoing pilot to upgrade it by enhancing its features including new superior processors.”

    He added: “At the same time, the Commission is exploring ways of improving the integrity of the collation and results transmission processes and has begun to deploy the electronic result collation and transmission platform on a pilot basis.

    “Our ultimate aim, learning from the pilot and consequential improvement of the supporting infrastructure, is to deploy the system for all forthcoming off-season elections and, ultimately, the 2019 General Elections. The Commission is working to ensure that this goal is achieved.”

    The commission said it has conducted 175 elections across the country in the last two years.

    These include 79 Court-ordered re-run elections, 73 end of tenure elections and 23 bye-elections.

    Yakubu said that even where electoral tribunals overturned two of the elections conducted, the commission was never asked to do a fresh election.

    He also noted that to the credit of the commission, outcomes of most recent elections were not challenged in court.

  • INEC explains choice of LGAs for nationwide CVR

    INEC explains choice of LGAs for nationwide CVR

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the choice of Local Government Areas (LGAs) for the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

    Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman stated that it is the most cost effective among the options open to the commission.

    INEC Chair also hinted that the situation will change in Anambra state to Registration Areas as a the governorship election approaches.

    Yakubu who spoke at the Commission’s mid- quarter review meeting in Kaduna Wednesday said it will cost INEC N25, 156,000.

    The provision for CVR in the Commission’s 2017 budget is N1, 216,346,068 for all VR activities, including off-season elections that have become regular since the 2015 General Election.

    Hence, INEC Boss said the LGA level is the only affordable option that can be accommodated within the current budgetary allocation.

    He said, “Although Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act empowers the Commission to determine registration centres and notify the public, what is the best method for achieving the goal of making the exercise both CONTINUOUS and ACCESSIBLE.

    “The Commission considered 3 options: 1. Polling Unit (PU) level 2. Registration Area (RA) or Ward level 3. .INEC Local Government Area (LGA) offices or   such other places as may be determined by the Commission.

    The PU level is the closest and most ideal. It will take the CVR to the door steps of citizen. There are 119,973 (approx. 120,000) PUs nationwide.  CVR has ever been conducted by the Commission at this levelThe indicative core cost for roll out at the PU level is given is N137, 467,088,080.

    Registration Areas: There are 8,809 RAs (Wards) nationwide and the cost is N21, 030,353,640.
    There are 774 LGAs nationwide and the cost implication according to him is 25,156,000.
    The Commission, he said decided to commence the exercise at LGA level based on the consideration that it is a CVR and not:—one-week.

    Other considerations, Yakubu said was that the election-eve registration exercise and registration similar to the one conducted in 2011.

    The Commission adopted a quarterly approach to the exercise in order to allow for the publication of names of new registrants (minimum of 5 and maximum of 14 days) for claims and objections as required by law (Sec. 19[1] of the Electoral Act).

    “This sequence shall continue until 60 days to the 2019 General Election when it will be suspended as required by law (Sec. 9[5] of the Electoral Act). It will resume after the General Election.”

    In the case of Anambra state Yakubu said “The CVR will be devolved to RA level as was done in off season general elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo and FCT Area Councils Elections. The date will very soon be announced by the Commission.”

  • INEC receives applications for 95 new political parties – Chairman

    INEC receives applications for 95 new political parties – Chairman

    …May announce new parties this week

     

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received 95 applications for new political parties, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has said.

    Addressing Journalists Monday in Kaduna shortly after the opening ceremony of the Workshop to Review INEC Communications Policy, Prof. Mahmood said they have received applications from various intending political parties, adding that the applications will be looked into at a meeting of the Commission Wednesday in Kaduna and those successful will be announced soon.

    According to the INEC boss, “As at last week, we had received 95 applications for new political parties. At the end of this workshop, there is going to be a retreat on Wednesday to review the ongoing voters registration followed by a meeting of the Commission here in Kaduna. At the end of the meeting of the Commission, we will issue a release on the issue of parties.

    “I have said that we would be holding a mid-quarterly review of our activities and preparation as we head towards the 2019 general elections after every six weeks, by Wednesday, the mid-quarterly review will come up here in Kaduna on the ongoing continuous voters registration nationwide.”

    Speaking on the essence of the workshop held with the support if United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the INEC boss said, “While the current policy has served the Commission, it is obvious that a review is necessary as we prepare for the 2019 general elections. Such a review is significant in order to achieve four objectives; a comprehensive review of the policy to determine what worked and what needed to fine-tune.

    “Secondly, the need to examine the extent to which the policy has enabled the Commission to effectively communicate with the public. To determine the extent to which the policy has facilitated a more robust internal communication within the Commission and to appraise the effectiveness of a sustained stakeholder engagement between the Commission and relevant stakeholders.”

    Prof. Mahmood said since 2015 general elections significant changes have taken place in the political and electoral arena that should be taken into consideration in planning for the next general elections.

     

  • INEC, others kick against Political Debate Commission bill

    INEC, others kick against Political Debate Commission bill

    Attempts by the Senate to establish a Nigerian Political Party Debate Commission is being resisted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders.

    At a public hearing on the bill on Wednesday, the stakeholders described the envisaged commission as superfluous and diversionary.

    The Senate had in October last year, passed for second reading the bill entitled, “Nigerian Political Debates Commission Bill, 2015, sponsored by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari.

    Senator Buhari had argued that if passed, “the bill would make it mandatory for those seeking election as president, governors, lawmakers and other elective positions, including their running mates, would have to go through a debate, which would be organised by a the commission to be funded by government and headship of which to be appointed by a sitting President”

    However, stakeholders in the electoral process at the public hearing session vehemently opposed the idea of setting up the commission, which they described unnecessary burden on the nation’s resources.

    INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu who was the first to kick against the bill, said although the election debate platform was a welcome development for the deepening of democratic practice, making such a platform to be a full fledge commission to be funded by government will be counterproductive.

    Yabuku said, “The idea of a solid platform for election debate in Nigeria as it is in the United States of America and some other countries of the world is a welcome development for our democracy and electoral processes.

    “But making such platform to be like a statutory commission would not help in achieving the motive behind the lofty idea.

    “To us in INEC, such a platform should be allowed to remain in form of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that would be funded by corporate bodies in the land and managed by independent and non-partisan Nigerians with outstanding character and repute”.

    Similarly, the President of the Nigeria Political Science Association, Professor Sam Egwu, also backed the position of the INEC chairman.

    According to him, that the platform for such debate should be independent and not a commission that would be funded by government.

    Egwu added that such a move would not only be counter-productive to the desired goal, but would also rubbish the electoral process.

    The President of the Senate, D. Bukola Saraki in his opening address at the session, stated that law making is an all-encompassing process where input of stakeholders and the public is imperative.

    According to him, the bill, if passed into law, will enable the Nigerian electorate vote for the best candidates at the various elections.