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Tag: Inec

  • CODER urges parties to cooperate with INEC

    THE Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform (CODER), an election observer group for the 2019 general election, has urged parties to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election.

    Speaking in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday, CODER Executive Director, Dr. Wunmi  Bewaji, said the success of the elections should be the concern of all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliations.

    He said: “CODER is an accredited election observer group for the 2019 Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections. To achieve this goal, we have trained 380 field observers, who have been deployed in states since February 14. The purpose of this news conference is to present our initial findings on the postponed election of February 16 and make recommendations to stakeholders ahead of the rescheduled dates of February 23 and March 9.

    “INEC was unprepared for the election and must do all within its power to fix the defects in its logistic chain, which eventually led to the postponement of the election. This unpreparedness may not entirely be the fault of INEC, but was perhaps also due to the late approval of its budget by the National Assembly. INEC must, however, review their planning and logistics and ensure that they have fallback plans in case of unforeseen challenges”

    Bewaji said to ensure that every vote must count, CODER has always strived to monitor elections through the various stages of the electoral process, adding: “In each election cycle, many Nigerians have relied on POLLWATCHNG, CODER’s election reporting platform, for up-to-date, verified election reports. NigeriaDecides2019 will not be different.”

    He said: “Our observers noted that voters turned out in many areas despite the postponement. This was not surprising, considering the late hour of the postponement announcement.”

  • Rivers APC to INEC: enlist our candidates for poll

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has insisted  tha the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it obeys court order by enlisting its candidates for the election.

    A letter by its lawyer, Tuduru Ede, and addressed to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, reminded the commission that its candidates were removed from the list of contestants following the ruling of the Federal High Court.

    It noted that the commission has nothing to do with the case before the Rivers High Court as it was not a party to it.

    The letter reads: “We are solicitors to the All Progressives Congress (APC) (hereinafter referred to as our client), and on her behalf make this request. Recall that All Progressives Congress (APC) duly submitted the list of its candidates for Rivers State for the 2019 elections in line with the timetable and schedule of activities released by the commission.

    “Also recall that the names and particulars of its candidates were duly published by the commission as required by law. We are aware that pursuant to the judgment, the names of APC candidates in Rivers State were removed from the final list of candidates published by the commission…

    “The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division further stayed the execution of the judgment of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt. We are therefore dismayed that despite the ruling of the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, the names of APC candidates have not been published by the commission.

    “In view of the foregoing, we call on the commission to publish the names for the election as submitted by APC. We have no doubt that the commission, as a law abiding institution, will accede to this request without delay.”

    But INEC has said it will uphold the Supreme Court ruling on its decision not to accommodate in the ballot paper, any All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for both governorship and legislative elections in the elections.

    The Supreme Court in Abuja upheld the order of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, which nullified the APC primaries in Rivers State, saying the primaries were held in disobedience to a court judgment barring the party from conducting congresses pending the determination of a suit filed by 22 aggrieved party members. The Apex Court set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, which in October 2018 upturned the interlocutory order of the High Court.

    At a briefing to update Nigerians and the international community on preparations for Saturday’s polls, Prof. Yakubu insisted that since the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, has ruled on it, the commission has no other option than to obey the order.

    He said: “On the Rivers State issue, I think the Supreme Court has a number of pronouncements on that matter. And, for that reason, the commission has taken the position made by the judgment of the Supreme Court. Under our constitution, the Supreme Court is the last court of resort for any citizen. There must be an end to litigations as lawyers say.

    “And, once a Supreme Court makes a pronouncement, all essence of authority in the land are bound to obey. The commission, as a law abiding institution, is bound by the judgment and there is nowhere else to go. We will go by the judgments of all the courts but once it gets to the Apex Court, that is the end to the litigation.”

  • ‘Kwara result sheets mistakenly taken to FCT INEC office’

    Kwara state Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mallam Garba Madami, on Wednesday said the results sheets for last Saturday’s rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections were mistakenly taken to the Federal capital Authority (FCT), Abuja’s INEC office.

    He added the ones for Lagos were inadvertently brought to Kwara while that of Lagos were taken to Nasarawa state.

    Madami added: “The result sheets for kwara was found in our FCT office in Abuja and they are going to be sent today .I will be here (CBN) till they bring it

    “Also the results sheet of Lagos was found here. I have sent it back, that of Lagos was also found in Nasarawa .You can see the reason the election was postponed,” the REC said.

    Madami said this in Ilorin, the state capital while addressing party agents at the commencement of distribution of sensitive elections materials from the Ilorin office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to local government areas.

    It was witnessed by representatives of various security agencies including the Police, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Prison Service and media

    He however said the commission was expecting to take delivery of the results sheets to be used for rescheduled elections before the end of the (Wednesday).

    He informed the commission has taken delivery of other materials needed for the rescheduled polls.

    “The result sheets are not going to be used not until Saturday we would get it before then,” he said.

    Read Also: Buhari, APC arm-twisting security, INEC to rig polls, PDP alleges

    He said the commission began the movement of the election materials to various local government areas in the state to ensure those going to the difficult terrain arrive early enough.

    “We are stating with the local government that are far way, we are moving our materials to Baruten, Kaiama, Patigi where there are riverine communities, “he said.

    Asked whether the materials were secured, Madami said armed security personnel were already at the RAC rack centres to ensure safety of the materials and personnel.

    Speaking on the success of Permanent Voters card PVCS collection in the state, Madami said that the commission has recovered 82 per cent success with only a balance of 257,431 uncollected.

  • Buhari, APC arm-twisting security, INEC to rig polls, PDP alleges

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of arm-twisting key stakeholders in the electoral process.

    The main opposition party listed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies as being arm-twisted to rig the February 23 elections in favour of President Buhari and the APC.

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the Presidency of launching ferocious plots with INEC and security agencies to ambush the rescheduled elections and foist Buhari on the nation.

    The PDP vowed the “evil plots” of the “fear stricken” Buhari and the APC come to naught.

    Commenting on the alleged plots, Ologbondiyan said: “Since the postponement, the Buhari Presidency and APC have been breathing down the neck of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in a desperate and feverish bid to consolidate their control of the operations of the commission and execute their rigging plot.

    Read Also: Buhari will get 80 percent votes, Enang boasts

    “At a meeting held in Buhari Presidency/APC situation room in the Presidential Villa last night, where Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mustapha Boss, among others, were in attendance, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) were directed to issue out result sheets to APC agents to falsify and declare results in favour of the APC.

    “Intelligence at our disposal reveals that the INEC Chairman has succumbed to back channel bullying by the Buhari Presidency and APC to accede to their demand to replace Electoral Officers (EOs) in various critical states with APC agents who will vehemently execute President Buhari’s rigging plans in the February 23, presidential election”.

    The PDP said it is in possession of full details of how the Department of State Services (DSS) has allegedly been interfering with operations of critical departments of INEC, including the ICT department, to do APC bidding.

    The party also claimed to have details of President Buhari’s Tuesday night meeting with some APC northern governors and Service Chiefs where pressure was allegedly mounted on the Service Chiefs in connection with the APC rigging plans.

    Continuing, the PDP spokesman said: “We alert Nigerians that the INEC Chairman has been intimidated with threat of ‘Onnoghen’s treatment’ to accept a list of APC members and agents and post them to serve as EOs in various states including Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Bauchi, Akwa-Ibom, Zamfara, Benue, Sokoto, Lagos, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Adamawa, Kogi, Delta, Ebonyi among others.

    “These APC EOs have been briefed to ensure the diversion of sensitive electoral materials from designated polling centres, delay the accreditation process, so as to frustrate voters’ enthusiasm, compromise the collation process to allocate and announce fictitious results for President Buhari and muddle up the process to pave way for result cancellation where it becomes impossible to rig for President Buhari.

    “The PDP stands with Nigerians in directly rejecting this latest arm-twisting of security agencies as well as the nefarious plots to use APC members as INEC Election Officers”.

  • Buhari will get 80 percent votes, Enang boasts

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will win Saturday’s presidential election with about 80 percent of the votes.

    He spoke with State House correspondents in Abuja as he based his verdict on the achievements of President Buhari’s administration; the vigorous campaigns of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC); and the president’s fair treatment of all parts of the country.

    He said “From the campaigns on the field, all the fillers we had, the support we had from the East, the West, the South, the North and all parts of Nigeria and the words of the president, the capacity of the campaign team and campaign machinery, the intellectual and intelligent words, words that hold and convince Nigerians that President Buhari is the best person to go for a second term as president.

    “This makes us confident and I am sure that in every state of the federation, President Buhari was able to show what he has done for that state.

    “In every state of the federation the president showed that he was not partial, that he is not in any manner tilted against one state of the country or favoring another part of the country.  He has shown that he is president for all and exclusively for none.”  he said

    The presidential aide said that President Buhari has identified with all, including the poor, the rich, the disabled and even those who could be called the low of the society.

    “With this, we are sure that we will win the election and the APC will come up with the majority of the members of the House of Representatives, great majority in the Senate and President Buhari of the APC will be declared as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    Senator Enang said that President Buhari has exhibited the character of a true democrat by not interfering in the work of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    Read Also: Buhari swears-in eight permanent secretaries

    He said that the president and the electoral body were not “working in tandem to postpone the election.”

    On whether there should be sanctions for the INEC for postponing the elections despite the long period it had to prepare and the support given to it by the President, Enang said the best that could be done was to move forward and let the elections be conducted.

    “The best we can do is to make sure that we consciously give maximum support to the INEC.

    “The best we can do is speak less of hard words against them and give them comfort so that all Nigerians, the international community and the product of the election will be taken as the best decision. So, we will not talk of sanctions now.“

    Enang also said that all international protocols concerning diplomatic relations must be respected by all.

    “There is what we call diplomatic protocol and when you are in a country, you are subject to the laws of that country.

    “There are limitations and red lines, which you must not cross.  When you cross the red lines in diplomacy, you are capable of being declared persona non-grata.

    “But Nigeria has not gotten to that stage and that is why it is issuing simple reminders as to what is the best international practice in diplomacy.”

    Dismissing allegations that the Resident Electoral Commission in Akwa Ibom State could be working in the interest of the government of the state, Enang said it did not matter and would not affect the outcome of the election.

    “Knowing that we will the election, I had occasion to say that even if it were Secondus, chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that conducts election in Akwa Ibom State as REC, APC will win the election.

    “As we are confident that we will win the election, we will speak less of the electoral body.

    “If we want to concentrate on that we will lose focus because what the opposition intends to do is to make us go after some issues while they prepare to attack with all kinds of things,” Senator Enang said.

  • APC to INEC: You must earn the confidence of Nigerians again

    …says asking Yakubu to resign not the solution

     

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) Presidential Campaign Council said on Wednesday that asking the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resign is of the solution to delivering a credible election this weekend, saying the commission must work to earn the confidence of Nigerians again that they can deliver a credible poll.

    Director, Election monitoring and Planning, Babatunde Raji Fashola who spoke at a news conference in Abuja said many Nigerians have sacrificed so much for Nigerian democracy, pointing out that their sacrifice must not be allowed to waste, pointing out that any party asking the INEC Chairman to resign does not understand the workings of government

    He said “Election and lack of elections have consequences. Many people have fought hard for this democracy, it has delivered uncomfortable results in the past as well as results we can live with and every effort to continue to improve it is an opportunity we must not turn our back on. Every party is disappointed, every well-meaning Nigerian is disappointed, but that is no reason to throw the baby away with the bath water.

    “So, it is for the INEC Chairman and his team to reclaim the confidence of the people and show us that they can deliver on what they have been asked to do. If you ask him to resign, will that give us an election?

    “If he resigns, will that give us an election? If the person who has been there for four years is having challenges now, who is prepared that will replace him and do what he has not been able to do in three and half years. The party that is thinking that way does not even know how government works. The solution is for all Nigerians to rally round INEC to get it right and that is what we intend to do.”

    Fashola who is also the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said Nigerians must not allow the action of anti-democratic agents dampen our enthusiasm. Although a week looked like eternity, it has trickled down and is getting closer to the reversed date.

    He said “lots of Nigerians have sacrificed greatly and sometimes supremely with their lives to give us this democracy. We must covert the disappointment 16th February 2019 to an all-time determination on the 23rd of February 2019 that others have made. It is democracy that will preserve our freedom and the vigilance, particularly those appointed to serve as agents of our party must be all time high. The vigilance of those appointed to serve as agents of our party must be all time high.

    Read Also: I remain APC candidate in Enugu east senatorial zone- Ezeh

    “Our agents must know what their rights are and notice the public of our commitment to a free election. The agents have a right to be admitted to polling centres and collation centre in the area where the party is contesting election.

    “They have a right to take notes and statistics in a manner to undermine or impugn the integrity of the electoral process. They have a right to object to a prospective voter if he is suspected to be an impostor or if he has voted earlier and the record shows that if he does not belong to that polling unit. These are steps taken to ensure free and fair election. They also have a right to ask for a recount of the ballot only once at his polling unit after his presiding officer might have counted it in his presence.”

  • Breaking: We’re good to go for Saturday’s polls- INEC

    ..Deployment of material to end on Thursday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said that the deployment of voting materials to the 774 Local Government Areas of the country will be completed on Thursday.

    INEC also said that it has completed 100% the configuration of the Smart Card Readers (SCRs) which will be used for the accreditation of voters on the 23rd February and 9th March 2019.

    Updating the media and observers on the preparedness of the commission on Wednesday, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission said deployment commenced on Wednesday in ten(10) states. This he said will be completed on Thursday.

    Read Also: INEC supporting Emmanuel, says Akpabio

    He also acknowledged that there are reports of missing materials in some states.

    The commission he assured has made good progress in the area of logistics and is good to go.

    He also said that only accredited diplomats will be allowed to move about as there is restriction on movement.

    Details shortly…

  • I remain APC candidate in Enugu east senatorial zone- Ezeh

    Chief Lawrence Eze of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) says he remains the candidate of the party for the Enugu East Senatorial Zone in the Feb. 23, National Assembly election.

    Eze disclosed this in a press statement signed by the Director General of his campaign organisation, Mr Ikemba Nwagu and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Enugu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that a Federal High Court in Enugu had on Tuesday sacked Eze as the candidate of the party for the senatorial zone.

    The court directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Mrs Ada Ogbu-Aguocha as the duly elected candidate of the party for the general elections.

    However, Eze said that in spite of the pronouncement of the court, he remained the APC candidate as he had filed a stay of execution of the judgement.

    The business mogul advised his supporters not to be discouraged by the judgement of the court, adding that steps had been taken to ameliorate it.

    He expressed confidence that the appeal court would upturn the judgement of the lower court which he described as a `miscarriage of Justice’.

    “We have already instructed our lawyers to file a stay of execution order and a notice of appeal, which is underway.

    “We appeal to our supporters to remain calm and resolute and come out en mass to vote on Saturday,” he said.

    He said that it was sad that media organisations had begun to be compelled to stop airing his campaign jingles.

    “This judgment is an orchestrated plan to distract us and a ploy to deceive our supporters in this last minute of campaign.

    “The truth is that Eze is still very much in the race and remains the APC candidate for Enugu East Senatorial Zone.

    “Since this is a pre-election issue, we are filing for an appeal and are going to ensure that this anomaly is corrected.

    “We urge our supporters, well wishers, voters and lovers of Ezeh to remain focused, resolute and ensure that they come out en masse on Saturday to vote for us,” he said.

    Eze said that he was still very much in the race and would not be distracted by the court pronouncement.

    “This is just a distraction aimed at bringing down our morale and that of our supporters but this will not work at all.

    “A dampened spirit is not an option; a depressed mind is also not an option. Do not let anyone deceive you into believing that Ezeh is no more in the race.

    “Stay resolute and be more than ever determined to vote in the game changer on Saturday,” Eze said.

  • Rivers APC writes INEC, says enlist our candidates for 2019 poll

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the enlistment of its candidates for the 2019 general elections in view of the ruling of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court ordering the stay of execution of the judgement of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt which disqualified the party from fielding candidates in the election.

    In the letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission and signed by its Counsel, Tuduru Ede, the party reminded the commission that its candidates names were removed from the list of contestants following the ruling of the federal high court, pointing out that the commission has nothing to do with the case before the Rivers High Court as it was not a party to it.

    The names of the National Assembly, governorship and state house of Assembly candidates of the party were removed from the list of candidates following a judgement of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, but the party went on appeal and got a stay of execution order from the Court of Appeal, while the Supreme Court threw out the appeal challenging the order of the Court of Appeal

    A copy of the letter obtained by The Nation in Abuja reads: “We are solicitors to the All Progressives Congress (APC) (hereinafter referred to as our client) and on her behalf make this request. Recall that All Progressives Congress (APC) duly submitted the list of its candidates for Rivers State for the 2019 general elections in line with the timetable and schedule of activities released by the commission.

    Read Also: Polls: Again, FG reads riot act to INEC

    “Also recall that the names and particulars of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates were duly published by the commission as required by law.

    “We are aware that pursuant to the judgment in suit no: FHC/PH/CS/149/2018 between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) v. All Progressives Congress (APC) and others, the names of APC candidates for Rivers State were removed from the final list of candidates published by the commission.

    “However, the APC aggrieved by the said decision of the Federal High Court on which the decision of the commission to remove the list was anchored, appealed to the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division in appeal number: CA/PH/38/2019 and the Court of Appeal in a considered ruling delivered on 6 February, 2019, has stayed the execution of the said judgment of the Federal High Court.

    “The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division also in another appeal numbered as appeal Number: CA/PH/39/2019 further stayed the execution of the judgment of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt. Furthermore, appeal to the Supreme Court in appeal number: SC/118/2019 against the order of stay of execution granted by Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division has been struck out by the Supreme Court.

    “We are therefore dismayed that despite the ruling of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, the names of candidates of APC have not been published by the commission for the purpose of participating in 2019 general election.

    “It is imperative to place on record that the judgment of the Rivers State High Court, in suit No. BHC/78/2018 which was fought to the Supreme Court in appeal No: SC/1332/2018, SC 1333/2018, SC 1334/2018 and SC 81/2018 has nothing to do with INEC as it is not party thereto. You may also wish to note that in spite of the judgment of Rivers State High Court, the commission accepted and published the names of candidates of APC in respect of Rivers State and it was the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt that warranted the removal of the names from the final list published by the commission which judgment has now been stayed.

    “In view of the foregoing, we call on the commission to without delay publish the names of candidates of APC in Rivers State for the 2019 general election as submitted by the APC.We have no doubt that the commission as a law-abiding institution will accede to this request without delay.“

  • 2019: Over 10m PVCs collected so far – INEC

    Over 10 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have so far been collected, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said.

    Over 14 million new registered voters were added onto the voter register since after the 2015 general elections.

    The PVCs are to be used for voting in the general elections which commence on Saturday with the presidential and National Assembly elections, while the governorship State Assembly and FCT council polls comes up on the 9th of March, 2019.

    Read Also: Polls: Again, FG reads riot act to INEC

    The polls were earlier scheduled for 16th February and 2nd March 2019 but was however rescheduled following the inability of the commission to successfully execute its logistics arrangement.

    Full story shortly…