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Tag: Inec

  • INEC: It’s the old curse of mediocrity

    It seems one instance when it is far easier to play the blame game rather than address a pathology so deeply ingrained to the point of becoming an intrinsic part of our national life. Trust our politicians with their hollow indignation: with the way some of them have been carrying on since Professor Mahmood Yakubu and his crew at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the shift of the general elections in the ungodly hours of Saturday morning, you’ll probably think that the 2015 shift under Goodluck Jonathan by six weeks never happened let alone the earlier bizarre version under the same Jonathan in 2011 that was aborted midway.

    Nigerians, unlike our politicians who perennially feign amnesia, remember the event of April 2011 just like yesterday. For while the 2015 election was moved forward by six weeks, those currently beefing about the 2.30 am announcement by Prof Yakubu will do well to remember that in 2011, the National Assembly elections had actually kicked off in states like Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Delta, Zamfara and Enugu only to be aborted vide a press release by the then INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, touting an unanticipated emergency. The Attahiru Jega-led INEC had cited among others, the late arrival of result sheets in many parts of the country and of officials at the polling units as making it difficult to implement the Modified Open Ballot Procedure adopted by the commission. Whereas Jega had claimed that INEC could have proceeded with the elections in Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Delta, Zamfara and Enugu –where all the materials were available, he nonetheless insisted that “in order to maintain the integrity of the elections and retain effective overall control of the process, the commission has taken the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the National Assembly elections to Monday, April 4, 2011….”

    That was some eight years ago.

    After marching steadily albeit slowly, in the journey towards democratic consolidation, it seems to me that the same cannot be said of our efforts to discharge the burden of the old nightmare: not only has it refused to go away, it appears to have mutated into a new form of malignancy. Rather than isolate the problem for what it is, we seem to have found solace in the semantic muddle of  calling mediocrity and plain incompetence by fancy descriptions of “logistics challenges” and “sabotage”!

    Just imagine the gospel, according to Prof Yakubu: “Preparations were hindered by bad weather in parts of the country, which affected distribution of materials…We therefore had to rely on slow-moving long haulage vehicles to locations that can be serviced by air in spite of the fact that we created five zonal airport hubs Abuja (North Central), Port Harcourt (South-south and South-east), Kano (North-west), Maiduguri and Yale (North-east) and Lagos (South-west) to facilitate the delivery of electoral logistics.”

    Over to you, the Nigerian Meteorological Services Department and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).  While the two agencies might yet have a tale or two to tell about the situation that Nigerians are not already familiar, the question of why INEC will have to wait to announce the shift at 2.30 in the morning, some few hours to the start of an exercise that has been in the works for more than 36 months will obviously continue to rankle.

    So also is the claim of ‘sabotage’ which in the circumstance seems at best an alibi: “In a space of two week, we had to deal with serious fire incidents in three of our offices in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, Qu’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State and our Anambra State office at Awka. In all the three cases, serious disruptions were occasioned by the fire, further diverting our attention from regular preparations to recovery from the impact of the incidents”.

    Fire incidents in THREE local governments out of 774? For an election that INEC has had nearly the whole of four years to prepare? Well said – should suffice for the INEC chief!

    Little wonder PDP chairman, Uche Secondus insisted that INEC boss should resign. Without as much as supplying proof, he says, the postponement “is a plot by President Muhammadu Buhari to cling to power”. Said he:  “Anything short of a well organised electoral process devoid of manipulation,  harassment and intimidation of voters and the opposition particularly members of the PDP”.

    As for the ruling APC, it was a case of the PDP being up to its old trick again. According to Festus Keyamo, Director, Strategic Communications, APC Presidential Campaign Council, PDP is sworn to discredit this process the moment it realized it cannot make up the numbers to win the election. Urging INEC not collude with the PDP on this, he warned darkly that:  “We do not want to be forced to a situation of announcing our total loss of confidence in INEC, because we know where that would leave our democracy”.

    The rest of us caught in the middle can only wait and watch while the slugfest lasts.

    The shame unfortunately isn’t just INECs, but the so-called African giant that continues to waddle in mediocrity.

    Now, it isn’t that Nigerians do not appreciate the enormity of the problems. In an election with some 23,316 candidates on the ballot spread across 119,973 polling units, INEC’s task is certainly challenging enough without the class act of delinquent actors adding their nefarious script to spoil the fun for the body and ultimately the rest of us. Vanguard for instance informs us of the 640-odd cases in which the commission is either sued directly or joined as in cases arising from disputed party primaries. Add that to the challenge of recruiting, training, and deploying one million odd ad hoc staff; put it side by side with the sheer task of deploying materials to far flung places; the operation would seem to require something on the scale of a war drill.

    But then, that is precisely what the job is all about. That is why the country, despite the lean times, has not denied commission the resources it needs to get the job done. More importantly is that the challenges are hardly anything new, having been rolled over with each successive cycle of elections. Which is why Nigerians expected the electoral body to have gained mastery – not to recycle the same old but worn clichés of “logistics’.

    Will INEC redeem its image on Saturday? For that to happen will be a leap into the eighth wonder of the world. That will certainly be a miracle. But then, like a friend assured me the other day, miracles still happen – a la Nigeria.

  • Breaking: INEC okays resumption of political campaigns

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (lNEC) has okayed resumption of political campaign

    The commission, at the end of its management meeting on Monday evening, said all campaigns for the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections end on Thursday.

    Details shortly…

  • Court asked to reverse INEC’s ban on campaigns

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to declare unlawful the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that political parties could no longer campaign despite its postponement of elections.

    The request is contained in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/206/2019, filed by the Action People’s Party (APP).

    The plaintiff argued that by virtue of “the combined effect of the mandatory statutory provisions of Sections 99(1), 100(1) and 101(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended)” INEC could not validly bar campaigns by registered political parties for the 2019 general election before a period earlier than 24 hours prior to the date of the election”.

    It wants the court to determine, “Whether by Sections 99(1), 100(1) and 101(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended) the announcement, directive or order by INEC directing registered political parties, including the APP, to stop or end their campaign for the 2019 General Elections on February 14, 2019 for polls that will hold on February 23, 2019 is not ultra vires its powers, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever”.

    Read Also: Court insists on Imo APC Exco’s legitimacy

    In the substantive suit, the plaintiff sought among others, “A declaration that INEC cannot issue any directive or make any order stopping, barring or ending campaign by registered political parties, including the APP, for the 2019 General Elections to a period other than 24 hours prior to the date of the elections;

    “A declaration that the announcement, directive or order by INEC directing political parties, including the APP, to stop or end their campaign for the 2019 General Elections on February 14, 2019 for polls that will hold on February 23, 2019 is ultra vires its powers, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever; and

    “A declaration that in view of the postponement of the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections till February 23, 2019, APP Party and indeed all registered political parties in Nigeria are legally entitled, pursuant to Sections 99(1), 100(1) and 101(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended), to resume forthwith and/or recommence campaign until February 21, 2019 been 24 hours prior the date of the election.”

    In an ex-parte application of urgency filed with the suit, the plaintiff wants an order of injunction restraining the defendant from stopping, ending or in any other manner whatsoever giving effect to the directive or order purported ending or stopping campaign by political parties for the 2019 general elections on February 14, 2019 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

    The suit, filed on Monday, is yet to be assigned for hearing.

  • Police parade 63 suspects over pre-electoral violence in A’Ibom

    …..recovers stolen PVCs

     

    The Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Monday paraded 63 suspected political thugs.

    Also paraded were suspects arrested in connection with the pre-election violence in Obot-Akara local Government area where two persons were killed and thirteen vehicles burnt on Saturday.

    The suspects were allegedly hired from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo States, it was learnt.

    Recovered from the suspects are one locally-made short gun, 25 live cartridges, two machetes, charms of different types, a knife, phones and human hairs and two axes, PCVs were some of the items recovered from the suspects.

    State police commissioner, Bashir Makama while parading the suspects at the state police command, Uyo, said a total of 41 of them who claimed to be observers on monitoring mission for the election were
    arrested on Friday, February 15th at Angellyne hotel in Uyo, without INEC identification number and could not give proper identity of themselves.

    Makama who was represented at the briefing by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, said 20 other suspects were arrested on the same day, February 15th at Ukanafun Local Government Area.

    Read Also: Political thugs set 30 buildings on fire in Ebonyi

    The CP said the suspects were allegedly brought in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State by one Uduak Dick, on the pretext of attending the burial ceremony of a Lance Corporal in the Nigerian Army, one Udo Essien.

    Makama said some suspects on February 13th set ablaze INEC office at Eastern Obolo Local Government Area but the timely intervention by the police saved the office and all the materials meant for the election.

    The Commissioner added that one Anietie Peters who hails from Mkpat-Enin Local Government Area was arrested on Friday in possession of 34 Permanent Voter Cards while one Ayaya Bassey and Asequo Ebio, arrested from Ikot-Ekpene Local government Area had confessed to bepolitical thugs hired by a politician from Cross River state.

    He said the Command on February 12th also killed two suspected killersof one Anthony Ikechuwu, a pharmacist who was shot dead by thehoodlums at St. Michael Primary School Abak, Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    Makama who said the victim’s Lexus Jeep with registration number, AKD 850 has been recovered, adding that the suspects were traced to their hideout in Aba, Abia state. They were killed in a gunduel with members of SARS from Akwa Ibom State, while a locally made revolver pistol with four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

    Makama used the occasion to warn politicians in the state to play by the rules and advised their supporters to conduct themselves or risk arrest by the police.

    “Let me use this opportunity to call on politicians to play the game based on the rules. Let me assure you that the non-partisan nature of the police in Akwa Ibom State will not change, we will remain
    apolitical, neutral and committed to free, fair and credible elections. We will at all times act professionally based on International best practices” Makama said.

    One of the forty-one arrested suspects, Okoroda Ken from Bayelsa state said they were arrested in Angellyne hotel by 3am on Friday, 15th February, 2019 where they lounged, adding that they were yet to reach their coordinator who booked the hotel for them.

    He said, “We all submitted our passport to Society for Advancement for Credible Leadership and Observation. This organisation is registered and credited by INEC. Since we submitted our passport, we were told our names were submitted to INEC and that we will likely monitor the election in Uyo.

    “We came on Thursday to confirm whether our names were there or not. We were in the Angellyne hotel booked for us by the Coordinator of the group, Berefa Bedfon. When we were arrested, all our phones were taken from us and we have not been able to contact anyone. INEC can prove if our names have been registered with them”.

  • 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.

  • You lack powers to stop campaigns, Shittu tells INEC

    The Minister of Communications Barrister Adebayo Shittu on Monday declared the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacks the powers to ban campaigns more than 24 hours prior to commencement of voting.

    Shittu made this declaration while addressing journalists in Ibadan.

    The Minister said the commission, based on the electoral act, does not have the power to stop campaigns more than 24 hours prior to any election.

    Shittu, who said many Nigerians were disappointed with postponement of the general elections last Saturday, solicited INEC, should be given another chance to prove it is truly independent with the rescheduled polls.

    He pointed out Section 99 of the Electoral Act stipulates campaigns for elections only end 24 hours to polls, stating INEC does not have the power to extend the ban beyond the stipulated time.

    According to him: “Again and again, they must justify that ban, because under the law, campaigns must stop 24 hours to the elections.

    Read Also: APC bombs Shittu over ’empty threat’

    “Today and tomorrow, 24 hours, let just assume is 48 hours. To sustain that ban within the period the election would be held, that would be justified, but certainly not the elections that have been extended.

    “Then, certainly, there is no justification for them to say that people should not campaign.

    “People must go ahead to campaign. They must go ahead to campaign. And for political parties, they must make the best of the time.

    “So, if there is a rescheduled election, spanning another one week, you must expect that voter education by political parties should continue.

    “Many people may forget what they have been taught on how to vote, how to identity a political party.

    “So, I will say that any ban extended beyond 24 hours or at most 48 hours will not be justified.”

    He added: “I think we ought to give them a benefit of doubt. If they had gone ahead and they conducted the election where some materials were taken to a far destination other than where they were meant for, I still believe, that Nigerians will still blame them.

    “So, I want to appeal to Nigerians to give INEC a second chance. I am happy that Mr. President himself has expressed a lot of shock and embarrassment and disappointment and inefficiency of INEC”.

  • 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.”

  • Polls: Police deploy more personnel in CBN

    The Ekiti State police command has intensified the security protection around the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Ado Ekiti branch where election materials retrieved are deposited.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Saturday retrieved electoral materials deployed for the conduct of the National Assembly and presidential elections scheduled for February 16 across all the 16 local government areas of the state.

    INEC took the decision following the postponement of the elections to February 23 and March 9 citing logistical and operational challenges.

    The Police Commissioner, Mr. Asuquo Amba , who said there is no room for security lapses for the success of the forthcoming elections, added that the deployment of more security men was to safeguard the sensitive materials kept in the bank .

    Read Also: Polls shift: APDA backs INEC for credible election

    Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday, Amba assured all the political parties that the materials are under safe custody and thorough security protection.

    Amba, who spoke through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said: “If you visit the CBN office in Ekiti now, you will see more security men around the place. We are cognizance of the fact that security lapses could mar these coming polls and we are guarding against that.

    “As we speak, we have drafted more mobile policemen and our men from the Special Protection Unit(SPU), who are specially trained on how to protect election materials are there.

    “We are working round the clock to block all loopholes criminals can use to truncate the process here in any, so there is no cause for worry .

    “Our people, particularly all parties should be rest assured that we shall ensure that all the materials are delivered to the designated points, no room for diversion”, he said.

    The CP commended the residents for their peaceful and violent free gestures, disclosing that the command has not arrested anyone in connection with any form of violence since electioneering activities begin in the state.

    Speaking on the allegations raised by the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) , Barrister Gboyega Oguntuase that his members were attacked in Igbara Odo and Omuo Ekiti by suspected party thugs, Amba said : “We have not received any formal petition from the party concerning this.

    “This command is apolitical and neutral, so if we have any evidence of attack by any party, we are going to investigate and whoever found guilty shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly”, he stated.

    He added that the three other Commissioners of police deployed to the State by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu for the purpose of the election have been directed to return to Abuja temporarily due to the postponement.

    “They have been asked to return to Abuja temporarily and by Thursday, they will return to Ekiti. The essence of their presence in the state was to make sure we have strong security across the three senatorial districts, because each commissioner is to man each of the districts for better performances of our men”, Amba said.

  • Polls shift: APDA backs INEC for credible election

    The Kano state chapter of the Advance Peoples Democratic Alliance ( APDA ), on Monday, threw its weight behind the postponement of the 2019 general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying it will enable the Commission to conduct a more credible, free and fair elections that will be acceptable to Nigerians.

    The party also called on Kano residence to support the aspiration of its gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Abacha and all its candidate in the state and National Assembly.

    Speaking to Reporters at the party’s Kano headquarters, the state chairman, Alhaji Bashir Hamza Bataiya, said that, “the shifting of the election will enable INEC cover some lapses and challenges so as to conduct a more credible election.

    “You can recall that barely a week to the elections, hoodlums in some states vandalized INEC facilities, burning down its offices and other infrastructure. It would have been so tedious and difficult for INEC to conduct elections in such situation.

    “APDA as a party has watched with concern, reactions from individuals, stakeholders and even political parties and civil society organizations as regards to the postponement.

    Read Also: Polls shift: NANS suspends protest in Ogun

    “As a responsible political party, we urge our teeming supporters, and indeed, Nigerians to bear with the electoral body, and troop out en-mass to perform their civic responsibility come February 23 and March 9, 2019.”

    Bataiya who said the position of the party was endorsed by its gubernatorial, Alhaji Muhammad Abacha, also hailed President Muhamnadu Buhari’s administration for its giant strides in the area of economy, security, power generation, agriculture and the fight against corruption.

    The, party, however, appealed to security to be up and doing in their responsibilities during the elections, while wishing Nigerians, “a historic, hitch-free, fair, credible and violence free-election.”

  • 2019: Beware of social media results – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kebbi state, has urged politicians to be wary of social media posts after voting prior to the official declaration of result by the commission.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud, gave the advice during an interactive session with stakeholders in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.

    “Fake news is now a trend and can mar our efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

    “We urge you to be wary of social media posted results before official declaration.

    “Only INEC Returning Officers at wards, local governments and state levels have the statutory authority and power to declare the results,” he said.

    He said that 1,938,171 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were received from INEC headquarters out of which 1,860,239 were distributed, leaving 77,932 PVCs unclaimed.

    “We have all the sensitive materials at CBN custody, so we have no fear for the materials now.

    “I collected the remaining sensitive materials that we had been awaiting for and by Wed, Feb. 20, we are going to start distributing them to remote areas and by Friday 22.

    Read Also: APC demands daily briefing from INEC

    “We hope to finish the distribution in all the 21 local government areas of the state.”

    According to him, the state has 225 wards, 1,345 voting points and 2,398 polling units in the 21 local government areas.

    “We still maintain our arrangement as we had earlier told before the postponement that, we are going to use 520 vehicles in the transportation of ad hoc staff and election materials.

    “This is part of our arrangement with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC) as well as security agencies on transportation.”

    He assured that INEC was determined to ensure free, transparent and fair elections but urged the people to continue to pray for successful conduct of the exercise.

    The REC said that special arrangements had also been made to take care of physically challenged persons to enable them exercise their franchise without hitches.

    The stakeholders at the interactive session were security agencies, representatives of political parties, traditional and religious leaders as well as various NGOs and CSOs.

    NAN