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Tag: Inec

  • Boko Haram kills five in Adamawa

    Boko Haram insurgents attacked three communities in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State Monday night, dislodging policemen on routine duty and wreaking havoc on the town.

    A security officer who spoke on the incident on condition of anonymity Tuesday morning said the insurgents killed three people, destroyed 20 shops and three cars and carted away valuable items.

    The anonymous security officer named the communities affected as Shuwa, Kirshingari and Shuari.

    This latest attack confirms fears over the security situation in Madagali, the only local government area in Adamawa State where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier said voting would take place in only three communities, including Shuwa.

    Residents said the insurgents who arrived in several vehicles about 7pm Monday, took over Madagali until soldiers from Gulak and Michika intervened to engage the insurgents in a battle that lasted for about two hours.

    The Commander of 28 Task Force Battalion in Mubi, Lt Col Haruna, said the insurgents had been repelled.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State, DSP Othman Abubakar, assured that a combined team of security personnel had brought the situation under control.

    Madagali is one of the seven LGAs in Adamawa State that Boko Haram once seized. The situation remained so bad in the area just before elections in 2015 that the elections did not hold there and the neighbouring Michika LGA.

  • PDP alleges INEC plans to rig

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday claimed to have uncovered plots by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the forthcoming general elections in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Its claim came barely hours after the Federal Government accused the opposition party of targeting INEC and the police for attack  to prejudge the polls.

    The elections are scheduled for February 16 (presidential and National Assembly) and March 2 (governorshipm and House of Assembly).

    According to the main opposition party, INEC has been taking directives from the Presidency and the APC on how to manipulate the electoral process at various levels. But the PDP did not show any proof of its claims.

    Its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the electoral body of having collected a list of people who will serve as electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and returning officers at the polling units, from APC governors and candidates, across the federation.

    Alleging that the directive was dished out to INEC by the Presidency, the PDP claimed to be privy to how the lists were populated with members of the ruling party and agents of its candidates.

    Ologbondiyan said: “The PDP vehemently rejects this plot, which is tailored to ensure institutional manipulation of the electoral process, including accreditation, voting and collation of results at the polling units, which is the base of the elections.

    “The PDP holds that by following the directive of the APC in such dubious rigging scheme, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has violated Section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended) and shows that he is in clear deficit of the required political will to conduct a credible, free and fair election.”

    The PDP demanded that INEC should, within 48 hours, publish the list of all officials and ad hoc staff that will play any  role in the election at all levels for verification by stakeholders.

    According to the party, any delay or refusal by INEC to publish the list with 48 hours would be a clear acceptance that it has been compromised.

    He said: “The PDP wants Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to note that the fate of our nation lies in his hands.”

  • 2019 poll: PDP urges security agencies to be neutral

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has admonished the nation’s security agencies to safeguard the unity of the country by being neutral in all their operations regarding the general elections.

    The party chair said the PDP was in possession of credible intelligence that some security operatives were being hired by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to connive with some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the election in their favour.

    Secondus, who addressed a crowd of party supporters in Gusau, Zamfara State on Monday at the PDP presidential rally, said that there were still some good patriotic operatives who do their jobs professionally.

    The party chairman advised the security operatives to be guided by the country’s constitution, saying that any bias roles from them in the coming elections could plunge the country into major crisis.

    Prince Secondus said the endorsement of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar by the Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Northern Elders Forum, the Pan Niger Delta Forum and leaders of the Middle Belt Elders Forum, showed clearly where the country was heading to in the upcoming elections.

    Read Also: No rift over campaign funding, says PDP

    “By that endorsement, which APC is refusing to accept as coming from the people, Nigerians of all divides have spoken that the APC administration can no longer continue”, the party chair added.

    Secondus assured that Atiku will not fail the nation, as, according to him, he has been tested and tried and found to be well equipped for the challenges of the country.

    He added that a PDP presidency will restore all the collapsed industries in Zamfara and other states, with a view to giving jobs to the people and ensuring adequate security.

    Also speaking at the rally, Atiku told the crowd that he would give them the airport they requested for, adding however that what they needed most was peace and security, which he promised to address with all seriousness.

    Atiku also assured the people that he would rebuild the Malori Dam and to also reactivate industrial and agricultural activities in the state.

    Prominent PDP chieftains at the rally included former Governors of Kano, Niger and Kogi States, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Babangida Aliyu and Idris Wada respectively.

    A former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Mohammad Alyiu Gusau (rtd) also attended the rally.

  • Jubilation in Rivers over Appeal Court ruling

    ……as APC, Cole, campaign organisation say they’ve been vindicated

    There was jubilation Monday in Rivers State, especially in Port Harcourt and its environs, on the ruling of the Court of Appeal for stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on fielding of candidates by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Shortly after the appellate court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Ali Gumel, granted the stay of execution of the judgment of Justice Kolawole Omotoso of the Federal High Court in the Rivers state capital, members and supporters of APC and its governorship candidate, Pastor Tonye Cole, trooped to the streets of Port Harcourt and its environs to celebrate, defying the heavy rain.

    Rivers APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, declared that the main opposition party had been vindicated by the decision of the Court of Appeal, which stayed the execution of the nullification of all primaries of the APC and also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from fielding the candidates in the February 16 and March 2 elections.

    The main opposition APC in Rivers said: “We have always said that the wheel of justice may grind slowly, sometimes annoyingly slowly, but surely justice comes ultimately. We believe that Monday’s judgment has vindicated APC in Rivers State.

    “Now, anyone who has carefully and painstakingly followed our pending matter at the Supreme Court, especially during the last sitting before the apex court reserved ruling, will easily and safely conclude that our victory at the Supreme Court is only a matter of time.

    “The key issues of representation and jurisdiction, which Justice Chiwendu Nwogu (of Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt) deliberately overlooked in tailoring his judgment to fit into a predetermined purpose, and yet bandy it as a consent judgment, will be completely deconstructed by the excellent legal minds on the Supreme Court bench. In this particular case, the end will justify our dogged efforts as we shall, once again, prevail by God’s grace.

    Read Also: Peterside Idah begs youths over Rivers state elections

    “All Rivers APC faithful should remain resolute, as we are set to recover all that Satan has battled so hard to take away from us. INEC, by today’s Appeal Court ruling, should by now be reinstating our candidates’ names on the ballot, in line with the status quo before the pronouncement by the Federal High Court of Justice Omotoso.”

    Cole, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and a co-founder of Sahara Group, in his reaction to the ruling, expressed gratitude to God on the victory.

    Governorship candidate of APC in Rivers said: “I just want to take a minute to thank the Almighty God for his grace upon us all. I know without Him, this would be totally impossible. We were up against it. We still are, but our God who has been with us throughout this journey, will see us to the end.

  • PDP rejects INEC ad-hoc staff list in Edo

    The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has rejected the list of ad-hoc staff the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) planned to use to conduct the February 16, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Edo state.

    It said the directive to Vice Chancellors of Nigeria universities was clear and explicit that they should provide a list of its members of staff who would be used as ad-hoc staff.

    A press statement signed by State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said the list handed over to INEC contained APC card carrying members and operatives who poised as University of Benin staff.

    Nehikhare alleged that the list was written in Edo Government house Benin and handed over to the UNIBEN VC, Prof. Faraday Orhunmwense for transmission to INEC.

    According to him, “This purported INEC ad-hoc staff list must be completely discarded as it is a recipe for chaos and poses a great danger to our nascent democracy. We reject it and condemn the politicalisation of the “employment” of APC members as ad-hoc staff to manage the election process.

    “We call on the vice chancellor of the University of Benin not to allow himself to be used. He must do the right thing by withdrawing the scandalous list he was prevailed upon to submit, and hand over one made up of genuine staff of University of Benin.

    Read Also: INEC to collate elections results manually

    “The forth coming election must not only be free, fair and transparent, it must be seen to be so.”

    But the authorities of UNIBEN have asked the Edo PDP to visit the institution and be free to verify names on the list.

    It debunked allegations that the names were written in Edo Government House and handed over to the VC.

    Spokesman for UNIBEN, Mr. Micheal Osasuyi, said it was laughable to claim that the institution would recommend persons who are not staff to work as INEC ad-hoc Staff.

    Micheal urged the PDP not to play politics with the list as according to him, ‘INEC has a way of doing its checks and balances.’

    “How can we recommend who is not our staff to INEC. Our staff are verifiable. They should not play politics with the list.“

  • INEC to collate elections results manually

    Results of the general elections will be collated and transmitted manually, the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday.

    This is the only system that the law allows, according to INEC, which plans not to give the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) the power to recruit collation officers.

    INEC insists that it has enough courage to conduct free and fair elections, but it urged Nigerians to prevail on political parties to comply with the guidelines for the exercise.

    The position of INEC was made known by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, at an interactive session with some media homes in Abuja. Okoye said INEC was ready for the conduct of the polls in 1, 558 constituencies and 774 Local Government Areas. He said the commission has concluded the identification and recruitment of over 814, 453 ad hoc staff.

    Okoye spent much time to clarify issues surrounding collation of results. He said: “ For this general election, we are collating results manually and transmitting manually in accordance with the existing laws. Even in some advanced countries, some of them collate and transmit election results manually because in this age of technology, anything can happen. ” INEC has been consistent in following the processes and procedures in collating and transmitting results. If tomorrow the National Assembly changes the laws, we will adopt e-collation and transmission of results.

    “The National Commissioner  said INEC will not allow Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs)to recruit collation officers.

    Okoye added: “ The practice of recruiting collation officers centrally by INEC headquarters has been in practice since 2011. In all elections since 2011, including the 195 off-season elections since 2015, the recruitment of collation officers is centrally done by INEC headquarters.

    “So, since 2011, no REC has been involved in the recruitment of Collation Officers. We will continue to recruit Collation Officers from INEC headquarters, we won’t allow RECs to do that.”

    The commission met with the Committee of Vice Chancellors and agreed on the modalities for recruiting and forwarding the names of Collation Officers to INEC headquarters.

    “Responding to a question, the National Commissioner said: “Collation Officers are not allowed to make phone calls or receive calls during collation.”

    Okoye assured that the commission will be fair to all parties and candidates.

    He said: “INEC has pledged to be neutral and will not pander to the whims and caprices of anybody or party.

    “We have the courage and  the stamina to provide an enabling environment to guarantee free and fair elections. We have the capacity to conduct elections that all Nigerians will be proud of.”

    Okoye gave details about preparations for the elections. He added: “ As you are aware, in 12 days, INEC will conduct Presidential and National Assembly elections and on the 2nd of March, the commission will conduct Governorship and State Assembly elections.”

    The commission is presently fine-tuning its preparations for the conduct of the two strands of election and National Commissioners are just returning from the states that they supervise where they went to assess the extent and level of preparation for the conduct of elections.

    “It is a matter of common knowledge that the 2019 general elections will involve 91 registered political parties and a total registered voting population of 84,004,084. The election will take place in 1,558 Constituencies and 774 Local Government Areas.  The Collation of Results will take place in 8,809 Registration Areas/ Wards and in 119, 973 Polling Units and 57,023 Voting Points nationwide.”The Presidential Election will be contested by a total of 73 candidates 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 the 360 seats in the House of Representatives will be contested by a total of 4, 680 candidates. The 991 State Constituency elections will be contested by a total of 14, 583 candidates. The 68 Area Council seats in the Federal Capital Territory will be contested by 806 candidates.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner for FCT, Alh. Yahaya Bello, who was also at the session,  asked the media to report only facts about the coming polls.

    He said: “Clearly, media reportage of election can mar or make it as the people and international observers look up to them for information. It, therefore, behoves you as media executives to be responsible and circumspect in your reports and coverage of coming elections.

    “This is not to say that you should not report facts but the appeal is to shun sensationalism, fake news and deal with the temptation of declaring the results before the commission does.” Reports capable of causing confusion  or igniting rancour and hatred should be avoided. The media is one of the critical stakeholders in the electoral process. So, we seek your continued support in reporting facts in the elections and educating the electorate on their rights to vote and be voted for.”

  • PDP kicks against INEC’s central collation centre

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against against a central collation centre set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the collation of results in the 2019 general elections.

    The national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has asked INEC to dismantle the centralized collation centre saying it’s tantamount to rigging the election even before the votes are cast.

    Speaking at the PDP presidential rally in Kebbi on Sunday, the party chair said that the creation of central collation centre by the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu was meant to serve the needs of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to manipulate the polls.

    Secondus said that Prof Yakubu has succumbed to pressure from the APC to have a central collation centre away from the usual practice in the past, just to creat room for rigging.

    The party chair said that names of people who will handle the collation are being handed down to INEC whose leadership appears to be lacking in strong will to resist pressure from the APC.

    He accused the electoral body of secretly compiling names of APC sympathizers, stressing that the leadership of INEC has succumbed to pressure from APC.

    Prince Secondus reiterated his earlier position that Nigerians will not accept a rigged election and will do everything humanly possible to resist the thwarting of the will of the people.

    He added that the APC has been rejected by Nigerians because they were given the mandate to change the country for good but their three years reign has ended up breeding hunger, poverty and unemployment in an unprecedented manner in the land.

    Addressing the gathering of party supporters, Secondus said, “The candidate we are presenting to you has all it takes to run a solid administration. He has been tested and tried both in private and public sectors and he will provide food on your table as well as create jobs for youths of Nigeria.

    The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, also assured the people that a PDP Presidency will ameliorate their suffering, create jobs, and end their hunger and insecurity.

    The Senate President and the Director General of the party’s campaign council, Dr. Bukola Saraki, urged the people to kick out poverty by voting PDP in all the elections.

    The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal who also attended the rally, urged the people to vote right by electing PDP candidates all the way.

  • Anglican bishop attributes drugs use to absence of control measures

    Retiring Archbishop of Kwara Province and Bishop of Kwara Diocese, Anglican Church, Segun Adeyemi has urged the Federal Government to ensure regulated access to drugs and chemicals to reduce the current prevalence abuse drugs among the youths.

    He attributed the prevalence of drug addiction and abuse among youth in the country to unfettered access to drugs and alcohol in most parts of the country.

    The medical doctor turned clergy, said that poverty among people must be addressed to check drug use, adding that some people would do anything to get money, even rituals, instead of living quality lifestyle.

    He described Nigerian politicians as people of same family irrespective of their political leanings.

    He said that people should not be fooled by personalities and different political parties in the country.

    Bishop Adeyemi spoke with reporters in Ilorin at the weekend as part of activities to mark his retirement from office.

    Dr. Adeyemi said that Nigerian politicians relate well among themselves behind closed doors.

    The clergy, who said that most political office seekers are only interested in perpetuity of what they can get rather than providing dividends of democracy, added that many politicians use of money and charms, engage in electoral malpractices by conniving with INEC and police to assume position of authority.

    “Don’t be fooled by different parties they say they belong. They meet themselves, where majority of their supporters won’t see them. What connects most of them is perpetuity of what they can get rather than what they can do to improve the society. However, every one should be reminded that judgement would come upon all our actions on earth. We need to come to sanity of Godliness because there will be no peace for every bad leader. Common wealth should be for common people. With all the wealth and acquisition, one will still die. So,  we should work with fear of God. I want Nigerians to believe that we can get it right with prayer. We can truly build this nation because this nation is a gift to all of us”, he said.

    Anglican Bishop, who said that church is a conscience of the nation, added that part of responsibilities of church is not to serve as opposition political parties to government, but to commend when government is doing it right and advise behind closed doors when things are not going well.

    He advised his successor to always seek the face of Got before taking every of his actions and decisions,  saying, “if you don’t ask God, you’re finished.”

     

  • Nigerians shall have free, fair, 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, yesterday, 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, made up 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 going 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 Bank 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, magnifying glasses and assistive posters for persons living with disability, while it is also working on appropriate framework for internally displaced persons voting.

     

  • 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.