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Tag: Inec

  • INEC submits revised 2019 election budget to National Assembly

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday submitted a revised 2019 election budget to the National Assembly for consideration and approval

    The submission of the reviewed budget was in compliance with the directive of the National Assembly joint committee on electoral matters that the electoral body should rework its 2019 election budget based on the N143.5 billion the committee adopted for consideration.

    The electoral umpire had before the adoption of the N143bn pressed for the approval of N189 billion for the elections.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the National Assembly to approve through a virement the sum of N143.5 billion for the conduct of the 2019 elections.

    The President added that the balance of N45.6billion out of a total of N189 billion he presented will be inserted and approved in the 2019 national budget for INEC.

    The joint committee after about two weeks of consideration of requests adopted the N143billion as sought by President Buhari with the explanation that the presidential letter was explicit that the N45.6billion difference was to be provided for in the 2019 budget.

    Chairman of the joint committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif who announced the compliance of INEC to its directive, noted that the electoral body had sent a reviewed budget to the committee within the ambit of N143bn as directed.

    Nazif also said that a sub-committee was set up to look into the details of the new budget submitted by INEC.

    The sub committee, he said, is expected to complete its assignment today and submit it’s report for consideration by 4pm (Wednesday).

    A member of the committee, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi gave said that the committee was determined to urgently complete work on the election budget.

    Abdullahi denied insinuation that the committee was deliberately slowing down the process of the consideration of the INEC budget to frustrate push to make the National Assembly to reconvene.

    Abdullahi who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, explained that part of the reason for setting up the sub-committee was to speed up the legislative processes for final approval of the election budget.

  • INEC submits revised 2019 election budget to National Assembly

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday submitted a revised 2019 election budget to the National Assembly for consideration and approval

    The submission of the reviewed budget was in compliance with the directive of the National Assembly joint committee on electoral matters that the electoral body should rework its 2019 election budget based on the N143.5bn the committee adopted for consideration.

    The electoral umpire had before the adoption of the N143bn pressed for the approval of N189 bn for the elections.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the National Assembly to approve through a virement the sum of N143.5 bn for the conduct of the 2019 elections.

    The president added that the balance of N45.6bn out of a total of N189 bn he presented will be inserted and approved in the 2019 national budget for INEC.

    The joint committee after about two weeks of consideration of requests adopted the N143bn as sought by President Buhari with the explanation that the presidential letter was explicit that the N45.6billion difference was to be provided for in the 2019 budget.

    Chairman of the joint committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif who announced the compliance of INEC to its directive, noted that the electoral body had sent a reviewed budget to the committee within the ambit of N143bn as directed.

    Nazif also said that a sub-committee was set up to look into the details of the new budget submitted by INEC.

    Read Also: APC accuses INEC of leaking its official correspondence

    The subcommittee, he said, is expected to complete its assignment today and submit it’s report for consideration by 4pm (Wednesday).

    A member of the committee, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi gave said that the committee was determined to urgently complete work on the election budget.

    Abdullahi denied insinuation that the committee was deliberately slowing down the process of the consideration of the INEC budget to frustrate push to make the National Assembly to reconvene.

    Abdullahi who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, explained that part of the reason for setting up the sub-committee was to speed up the legislative processes for final approval of the election budget.

  • Osun 2018: INEC presents voters’ register to political parties

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday presented soft copies of voters’ register for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State to the 38 political parties participating in the poll.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC),   Mr Olusegun Agbaje, presented the register to representatives of the parties at the INEC office in Osogbo, the state capital.

    The REC said some parties had approached him to collect the register individually, but he insisted that the copies must be distributed to all the parties at the same time.

    He noted that the presentation of the register was in line with INEC’s guidelines.

    Agbaje urged the parties to call the commission’s attention to any wrong they discover in the document.

    The REC also assured the parties of INEC’s neutrality, advising them to promptly report any officer of the commission found culpable of wrong doing, including himself, to the national headquarters of the electoral body.

    Agbaje gave the parties the details of the efforts INEC had made in compiling the register to ensure a successful election in Osun State.

    The REC urged representatives of the political parties to inform INEC about the importance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) during the election.

  • NASS joint committee meets again over INEC 2019 budget

    The National Assembly joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will meet on Monday to further consider INEC budget for 2019 elections.

    The meeting is coming against the backdrop of growing anxiety over which of the budget proposals the joint committee will endorse for the elections.

    The joint committee had announced through its Chairman, Senator Suleiman Nazif, that it will meet  to decide which of the two budget proposals, the N143billion President Muhammadu Buhari requested for in a letter sent to the National Assembly and the N189billion INEC is asking for, will be approved.

    President Buhari had in the letter to the National Assembly said that out of the N189bn INEC budgeted for the conduct of 2019 elections, N143bn should be approved this year through virement from the N578bn additional votes members of the National Assembly inserted in the budget , while the balance of N45.6bn would be captured for INEC in the 2019 budget.

    INEC officials at two different appearances before the joint committee insisted that the entire N189billion should be approved for it for the smooth conduct of the 2019 elections.

    This led to sharp division among members of the committee across party lines as they failed to agree on which of the requests to be approved.

    The Committee chairman said in the statement: “Sequel to the ongoing consideration of the Independent National Electoral Commission, 2019 General Election Budget by the joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, the general public is hereby informed that work on the budget is in advanced stage and in line with mandate issued to the joint committee by the leadership of the National Assembly.

    “Equally the Joint Committee deliberated on all key attributes of the budget while taking into cognizance the imperative urgency for the budget to be ready in time for the 2019 general election hence, necessitating sacrifice and selflessness from our distinguished and honourable members.

    “Furthermore, it is imperative to state here explicitly that, after  audacious sessions with all critical stakeholders the joint committee dissolved into executive structure and agreed to resume on 27th August, 2018, (after Sallah) to consider the harmonized version of the budget report diligently.

    “More so the report of the joint committee will be made available for further and appropriate legislative action in earnest”.

    The committee at its last session on the budget which had the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma and INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu in attendance, could not resolve which of the requests to approve.

    While members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the committee supported the approval of N143bn requested by President Buhari in his letter, their colleagues in the All Progressives Congress (APC) backed the approval of the N189 billion INEC asked for.

    The position of the Minister of Budget and National Planning that the committee should use its discretion on matter did not help the issue.

    The Minister who was asked for authorization for the approval from President Buhari, noted that N189bn requested by INEC was the same amount the President wrote in the letter to the National Assembly.

    The Minister said that because of funding constraints, President Buhari decided to break approval for it into two fold by seeking virement for N143bn for INEC this year while the balance of N45.6billion would be taken care of in the 2019 budget .

    He said “Mr. President will have no objection to the National Assembly approving the entire N189billion INEC budget as long as it does not in anyway, lead to increase in the overall size of the 2018 budget .

    “If this is to be done, the N45.6billion the President in his letter proposed to be provided in the 2019 budget would also have to be vired along with the N143bn from the N578bn fund appropriated in the 2018 budget by the National Assembly for the additional 1,403 projects included in the budget.

    “Discretion on which of the requests to be approved by you now, is yours. If you approve the N143bn the President requested it is okay and if you approve the entire N189billion for INEC this year is also alright.

    “Any of the two is okay for the executive, except that if you approve the N189billion through virement, the N45.6 billion planned to be captured in the 2019 budget , would no longer be part of the budget estimates for that year.”

     

  • APC accuses INEC of leaking its official correspondence

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of leaking its official correspondence to the public.

    The party asked the commission to look into its internal mechanism for handling sensitive mails.

    The party is not happy with the commission for leaking its letter notifying it of its proposed dates for party primaries in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

    A time table for the primaries was published in a national daily, forcing the party to issue a denial, but a letter signed by the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole addressed to the INEC Chairman and received in August 17 by the commission surfaced in the media.

    Reacting to the development, Acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, said the National Executive Committee of the party need to approve the time table for it to become authentic.

    Nabena said: “Our attention has been drawn to a leaked letter the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole wrote to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, informing the Commission of the schedule of the congresses and primaries to elect party candidates for the 2019 general elections.

    “These leaks of our sensitive and confidential correspondence to INEC is becoming commonplace and totally unacceptable,” Nabena said.

    “We strongly request that INEC looks into its internal handling of official correspondence and put a stop to these leaks.

    “While the leaked formal notification to INEC has been done by the APC pursuant to the provisions of Section 85 of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended), we advise the general public, particularly the media, to wait for an official announcement from the party as the leaked dates are subject to changes, if necessary.”

  • INEC records 13m fresh voters, distributes 847, 693 PVCs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has registered 13,013,989 new voters from its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between April 2017 and Aug. 20 2018.

    A consolidated CVR report released on Friday in Abuja by the commission revealed that 3,981,502 voters were registered in 2017, while 9,032,487 were registered in 2019, up to 20 August.

    The infographic overview of the report shows that 7,173,683 of the fresh voters were male, while 5,840,306 were female.

    A breakdown of the report shows that Lagos has the highest number of CVR with 685, 503, followed by Rivers with 665,560 and Abia 536,039.

    States with the lowest number of voters were Ondo  with 136, 8827; Ekiti, 179,518; and Kwara with 181, 920.

    The report also revealed that 847, 693 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had so far been collected, while transfer requests of 641, 274 had been made.

    Card replacement requests of 999,656 had also been accomplished.(NAN)

  • 2019: Group asks NASS to pass INEC budget

    The Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), on Friday asked the National Assembly to pass the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) budget without further delay.

    The group said that the delay in passing the INEC budget may jeopardise the preparations for the 2019 elections.

    A communiqué issued at the end of a one-day round-table meeting on the 2019 Election Budget Empasse held in Abuja, the group warned that all forms of intrigues and politics associated with the budget should cease immediately in national interest.

    The stakeholders drawn from different interests who cover the Civil Society, the political class, the media and citizens among others, condemned in strong term, the use of thugs and some security personnel to harass citizens and INEC officials.

    The group and frowned at the disruption of elections saying that the development portrays country in bad light before the international community.

    The ISDMG faulted the delay in submission of the INEC budget by the Presidency, since the budget was said to have been submitted to it since January, 2018 by the commission.

    The group noted the controversy trailing the INEC budget was unacceptable and unnecessary especially since the Executive ought to have submitted the budget to the National Assembly long before now.

    In a communiqué which was signed by Dr. Chima Amadi, ISDMG, Faith Nwadishi, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Abdul Mahmud ,Public Interest Lawyers League,Comrade Sheriff Mulade, Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, among others, the group urged INEC to continue to be proactive by submitting their budget proposal in good time in a transparent and open manner.

    The group also recommended an urgent need to review the appropriation process especially when it involves the needs of INEC knowing the importance and role the Commission plays in the stabilisation of our democracy

    “We note the hard fact that the INEC budget is not like contracts that can be hidden from public purview as activities of INEC are open and easily verifiable by citizens, stakeholders and in fact, any interested party, ” the group said.

    It commended the openness of the budget process and urge INEC to continue with the practice.

    The group noted that this should be encouraged while insisting that Nigerians should support INEC as it strives within the ambits of integrity to conduct credible, free and fair elections in country.

    Read Also: Diezani ‘bribe’: INEC chiefs seek case transfer

    The group said: “That suspension of elections where there are infringements and security breaches as was done in the Rivers State constituency bye-election to protect lives and property and the integrity of the electoral process and elections should now be the norm.

    “All perpetrators of election violence must be severely punished according to the law to serve as

    deterrent to others.

    “The allegations of budget padding draw from mischief or an inadequate appreciation of the issues involved, therefore we recommend that all parties should strive to verify issues and INEC should operate an open door policy for these clarification.

    “We recommend also that stakeholders should utilize the quarterly stakeholders dialogue by the INEC Chairman to seek for information and clarify issues.

    ” We condemn the actions of the police and other security agencies that were used by unscrupulous politicians to disrupt the elections thereby putting the lives of INEC staff and citizens in danger.

    “This is bizarre, shameful, embarrassing, disgraceful and condemnable. We however, commend INEC for taking quick measures to suspend the election so as to protect the integrity of the election.“

  • Osun 2018: INEC presents voters’ register to political parties

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday presented soft copies of voters’ register for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State to the 38 political parties participating in the poll.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC),   Mr Olusegun Agbaje, presented the register to representatives of the parties at the INEC office in Osogbo, the state capital.

    The REC said some parties had approached him to collect the register individually, but he insisted that the copies must be distributed to all the parties at the same time.

    He noted that the presentation of the register was in line with INEC’s guidelines.

    Agbaje urged the parties to call the commission’s attention to any wrong they discover in the document.

    The REC also assured the parties of INEC’s neutrality, advising them to promptly report any officer of the commission found culpable of wrong doing, including himself, to the national headquarters of the electoral body.

    Agbaje gave the parties the details of the efforts INEC had made in compiling the register to ensure a successful election in Osun State.

    The REC urged representatives of the political parties to inform INEC about the importance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) during the election.

    He added: “As we speak, majority of non-sensitive materials, which would be used for the conduct of the election, have been received from INEC headquarters in Abuja and distributed to INEC offices across the state.

    “Furthermore, 1,152,751 PVCs have been collected by their owners, out of 1,668,524 received in the state, leaving a balance of 515,773 as at August 17.

    “It is important for you to help us to inform the people on the need to collect their PVCs during your campaigns and rallies, because without the PVC, nobody would be allowed to vote.”

    INEC National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states, Mr Adedeji Shoyebi, said the presentation was to enable the parties verify the voters and fish out underage persons and foreigners in the list.

    The INEC commissioner said it was sad that over 500,000 PVCs had not been collected out of the over 1.6 million produced for registered voters in the state.

    He added that about one-third of voters in Osun State had not collected their PVCs and might not vote during the September election.

    Shoyebi warned that the commission would not tolerate vote-buying and violence during exercise.

    The national commissioner warned that anyone caught perpetrating violence or inducing voters with money would face the full wrath of the law.

    He urged the political parties to advise the eligible voters who had not collected their PVCs to do so.

    Shoyebi also advised them to sensitise their members, especially youths, to eschew violence during the election.

     

  • 2019 Elections: Group appeals to NASS to pass INEC budget

    The Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) budget.

    The group in a communiqué issued on Thursday and signed by its Executive Director, Dr Chima Amadi, at the end of one-day roundtable held in Abuja, said any delay might “jeopardise” the preparations for the 2019 general elections.

    Other signatories to the communique were Ms Faith Nwadishi, Centre for Transparency Advocacy; Mr Abdul Mahmud, Public Interest Lawyers League; Mr Sheriff Mulade, Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, among others.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had in a letter dated July 11, requested Senate’s approval of N242.45 billion for the 2019 General Elections.

    The sum of N189.21 billion was earmarked for INEC.

    The group warned that all forms of intrigues and politics associated with the budget should cease immediately for national interest and good.

    Read also: INEC Budget: NASS cannot reconvene now -Saraki, Dogara

    The group faulted the delay of the INEC budget by the Executive, which was submitted to it since Jan. 2018 by the commission.

    According to the group , the logjam regarding the INEC Budget is unacceptable and unnecessary as the Executive ought to have submitted the budget to the National Assembly long before now.

    It urged INEC to continue to be proactive by submitting their budget proposal in good time in a transparent and open manner.

    The group also recommended an urgent review of the appropriation process, especially when it involves the needs of INEC knowing the importance and role the Commission plays in the stabilisation of Nigeria’s democracy.

    “We note the hard fact that the INEC budget is not like contracts that can be hidden from public purview as activities of INEC are open and easily verifiable by citizens, stakeholders, and in fact, any interested party.

    “That suspension of elections where there are infringements and security breaches as was done in the Rivers state constituency by-election to protect lives and property and the integrity of the electoral process and elections should now be the norm.

    “All perpetrators of election violence must be severely punished according to the law to serve as deterrent to others.

    “The allegations of budget padding draws from mischief or an inadequate appreciation of the issues involved, therefore, we recommend that all parties should strive to verify issues and INEC should operate an open door policy for these clarification.

    “We recommend also that stakeholders should utilise the quarterly stakeholders dialogue by the INEC Chairman to seek for information and clarify issues.”

    The stakeholders, drawn from different interests that cover the Civil Society, the political class, the media and citizens among others, condemned in strong term, the use of thugs and and security personnel to harass citizens and INEC officials.

    ” We condemn the actions of the Police and other security agencies that were used by politicians to disrupt the elections thereby putting the lives of INEC staff and citizens in danger.

    “This is bizarre, shameful, embarrassing, disgraceful and condemnable. We, however, commend INEC for taking quick measures to suspend the election so as to protect the integrity of the election .”(NAN)

  • Bamigbetan urges INEC to supply more machines for registration

    ***tells INEC to use over 4,000 CDAs in Lagos to distribute PVCs

    Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to end the long queues of residents besieging registration centres by providing more registration machines and personnel.

    Addressing members of a political group, The Mandate Movement at a special meeting to pray and prepare members for the Sallah festival at his residence in Ejigbo, Bamigbetan said the hundreds of enthusiastic citizens mobilized by the group to register are discouraged by the hardship encountered at the centres.

    He said the hardship was unnecessary and avoidable as more machines and personnel could be deployed to meet the surge that the advocacy for registration has created.

    “If INEC lacks the funds to purchase more machines, it should seek aid from state and federal agencies which appreciate the importance of this civic responsibility. The members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC can be mobilized as ad-hoc staff. I am appealing to INEC to think outside the box. A situation in which two machines are serving thousands of willing registrants in Ejigbo is certainly not advisable.”

    Bamigbetan also called on INEC to make use of the over 4,000 community development associations in Lagos State to distribute the millions of cards in its possession.

    “Our CDAs are legally registered entities with authority over specific number of streets and households. They can act as agents of INEC in distributing the cards to the owners. The current system of waiting for them to come is not delivering results,” he said.

    Bamigbetan urged participants at the meeting to ensure that the All Progressives Congress plan to expand its membership is executed to the letter, adding that the directive of the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu reiterated by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode recently is a task that must be accomplished.

    Read Also: Registration: INEC records more men than women

    He thanked the members for their staunch support of the APC government at federal, state and local government levels assuring them that all the electioneering pledges would be fulfilled.

    In his speech at the event, the chairman of the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Hon. Monsuru Bello Obe commended the state and the local government for the successful completion of Ona Iwa Mimo street where the meeting took place adding that many road projects are still on the board.

    He appealed for peaceful conduct during the Sallah festivities and advised the people to avoid provocation from any quarters.

    No fewer than 100 bags of rice, 2000 bags of garri and ten cows were mobilized for the needs of the people at the event.