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Tag: Inec

  • INEC to make card reader mandatory for 2019 polls

    •‘No new polling units’

    Card Reader will be mandatory in the conduct of the 2019 election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday.

    A top official of the commission said yesterday tha card readers helps the Commission in three ways that is, helping to confirm that the Permanent Voter Card (PVC)  was issued by INEC, that the biometrics of the holder are correct and that the identity of the holder is authenticated though the fingerprints.

    The official said the Commission would soon begin a process of upgrading the Card Readers such that whatever was experienced in the past would not occur in the 2019 election.

    The official stated that part of the challenges the Commission had in 2015 was the violence that led to the stesling or loss of card raders. He said in Rivers state alone, the Commission lost 1,321 Card Readers during the 2015 elections.

    The official reiterated that the Commission never had any plan to create 30,000 new polling units before the 2019 elections as being speculated in some quarters.

    He said although the commission was able to uncover through its checks that a lot of communities and settlements had outgrown the current number of polling units in the country, the controversy generated around the plan made any Nigerians to misconstrue the intention.

    The official cited the example of Gwarinpa Estate I Abuja which is regarded as the largest estate in Africa but which he said has only nine polling units adding that such examples abound across the country.

    “One thing the commission has ruled out is the possibility of creating new polling units before the 2019 elections. No polling units will be created before the 2919 elections. If you create polling units, you have to populate them, then it will create confusion and you will have to replace the voter cards,” the source said adding that what the commission had resolved to do is to decongest the existing polling units by creating voting points where voters exceed 500 in a particular point.

    According to the official, the Commission prior to the administration of  Prof Attahiru Jega had no record of the number of the Polling Units in the country but that the audit conducted under the previous INEC Chairman yielded 119,793 polling units. He also stated that the commission would not add any unit to that existing units before the 2019 elections.

    “Under Jega, the commission conducted an audit of all polling units. Before then, some polling units were located in shrines and different places. But with the audit, we now have 119,973 polling units across the country and there is no more obscure polling units nationwide,” the official stated.

     

  • Can warns inec, security agencies against rigging Ekiti poll

    The Ekiti State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies against rigging.

    The umbrella Christian body urged the electoral umpire and security agencies, including the Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to be neutral in the discharge of their duties at the poll.

    The group warned that the sanctity of the ballots should be respected for Ekiti to be politically stable, develop and progress in all ramifications.

    These are some of the resolutions contained in the communiqué at the end of its plenary meeting held at First Baptist Church, Odo Ayedun in Ikole Local Government Area.

    The communiqué was jointly signed by Ekiti CAN Chairman, Rev. Joshua Orikogbe and Secretary, Rev. Ipinlaye Samuel.

    On the Ekiti poll, CAN said: “We implore INEC and security agencies to be neutral and independent and create conducive atmosphere for free, fair and credible election.

    “We call on all Christians to go out and vote for candidates of their choice without fear or intimidation. We also appeal to losers to embrace the winner and equally strive to abide by the rules of elections.”

    The body also mourned the deaths of the CAN General Secretary, Dr Musa Asake, and the General Overseer of the Chapel of His Glory in Ekiti, Rev. Kunle Salami.

  • Yakubu: INEC’ll address barriers faced by physically challenged voters

    The barriers faced by People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the electoral process as voters, candidates, observers and staff within the commission’s structure, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, has assured.

    Prof Mahmood Yakubu made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja at a one-day meeting on “Mainstreaming PWDs into Political Parties’ Activities.”

    Represented by a National Commissioner, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ahmed Tijjani Mu’azu, Yakubu said a framework on access and participation for PWDs had been developed by the electoral umpire.

    The policy document, according to him, is scheduled to be validated by stakeholders on June 4.

    He said that the document underscored INEC’s guiding principles and commitment toward unhindered participation of PWDs in the electoral process.

    Yakubu said: “In Nigeria, it is estimated that there are over 25 million men, women and children with disabilities. This represents 15 per cent of Nigeria‘s over 170 million population.

    “Despite the huge population of PWDs in the country, their participation in the mainstream electoral activities, including integration into political parties’ activities, structures and decision making processes is abysmally low.

    “Institutional, socioeconomic and political constraints in the country have significantly impeded the access and participation of PWDs in all stages of the electoral process.’’

    Yakubu said INEC, as a responsive institution of government, has always been at the forefront of engaging stakeholders on matters of electoral education, inclusion and participation, especially the participation of the PWDs in the electoral process.

    “As a clear mark of its commitment, the commission organised several forums to enlighten and encourage PWDs to participate actively in the electoral process,’’ the INEC chair said.

    INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Out Reach and Partnership Committee Adekunle Ogunmola said the commission was not unmindful of the difficulty faced by PWDs.

  • ‘APC, INEC want to rig poll’

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to rig the July 14 governorship election in connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Addressing reporters in his office Fayose alleged that APC and INEC had struck a deal to disenfranchise 50 per cent of the electorate by “heavily preloading the smart card readers.”

    He alleged that thousands of voters would be disenfranchised in Ikere-Ekiti, the hometown of the People’s Demoratic Party (PDP) candidate Prof. Kolapo Olusola, and Ado-Ekiti, the hometown of his running mate, Mr. Ayodeji Ogunsakin.

    Fayose alleged that the APC has been distributing what he called fake empowerment forms to lure voters.

    He said: “It has come to our attention that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has devised another sinister plot to disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters in areas considered as strongholds of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), particular my where the PDP standard bearer comes from , which is Ikere-Ekiti.

  • 2019: INEC reviews guidelines for parties, others

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun the review of the electoral guidelines for political parties and actors ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    It opened a five-day workshop for the exercise in Kaduna yesterday.

    INEC National Commissioner and Head of Election and Political Monitoring Department Prof. Anthonia Simbine said the commission had a number of guidelines and regulations by which it carries out its functions.

    Prof. Simbine said: “We have several changes in the process and management of activities of political parties as well as politicians.

    “We think that we should revise the guidelines in a way they respond to the observations and that’s what this group is doing today.

    “The review comprise of staff elections and party monitoring department as well as staff of legal and alternative dispute resolutions directorate of the commission.

    “One or two relate to the monitoring process of the activities of the political parties, the monitoring of party congresses or conventions as well as campaigns at their rallies, “she said.

    According her, “there are guidelines for monitoring these processes. We have been monitoring these activities since the last four years, since the 2015 general elections and we have made certain observations. We expect this review will look into that as well as put in place instruments for the monitoring process.

    “We also have larger number of political parties compared to what we had in 2015.

    “We will see how the guidelines will respond to the wider scope of the participants in the electoral process,” the commissioner said.

    The guidelines, which are expected to undergo the five-day review process, include:

    *Regulations for the conduct of political campaign by political parties, candidates, aspirants and supporters; and

    *Guidelines for regulation for political parties 2015 and guidelines for regulation of political parties 2014.

    Also included for the review is INEC guidelines for election observation as well as manual for monitoring of political parties, congresses, conventions and party primaries.

    Project Director, European Center for Electoral Support (ECES) David LE Notre said the review would enhance proper mechanism for monitoring political parties to ensure compliance with extant regulations and guidelines that conform to Democratic norms and practice.

    Kaduna State Resident Electoral Commissioner Abdullahi Kaigama, Director of Voter Education and Publicity Oluwole Uzzi and Director of Elections and Political Party Monitoring Department Mr. Aminu Idris are among those attending the workshop.

     

  • 35 parties to participate in Ekiti guber poll

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said on Tuesday that 35 political parties would participate in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.

    There are 68 registered political parties in the country.

    Yakubu disclosed this after hosting a delegation of female parliamentarians in West Africa.

    The delegation was led by Assaita Daffe.

    The visiting team was at the INEC headquarters to formally present ECOWAS publication on Gender and Election Strategic Framework and Action Plan.

    While disclosing that the timeline for submission of candidates’ names has elapsed, Yakubu said there is still room for any of the 35 political parties to substitute candidates if necessary.

    He had earlier assured the visiting team that the Commission was committed to working with political parties in achieving increased women representation in politics.

     

  • INEC gives out 156,969 PVCs in Cross River

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State yesterday began distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the 18councils.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dr. Frankland Briyai launched the exercise at INEC office in Calabar Municipality Local Government.

    He said the number represented those who registered under the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between April and December 2017.

    Briyai added that the PVCs included those who applied for transfers and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.

    “In addition, we are also distributing over 67,000 PVCs yet to be collected since 2015.”

    He assured those who registered this year and those who are registering that their cards will be ready before the 2019 elections.

    The REC said CVR would continue side by side with the collection of PVCs, adding that the exercise would end 60 days to the general election in accordance with the Electoral Law 2010 as amended.

    He hailed the people for cooperating with INEC, particularly since he assumed duty last year.

    Briyai advised the electorate against selling or buying PVCs, saying such an act violated the law and punishable by two years’ imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 or both.

    “As you collect your PVC, I advise that you keep it safe and come out with it on election days to cast your vote.

    “Remember that having more than one valid voter card is an electoral offence with a fine of N100,000 or a jail term exceeding one year or both in line with the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.”

    He urged traditional rulers, religious, political and opinion leaders to encourage their followers to collect or register for their PVCs.

    Mr. Paddy Ali, the representative of the state Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), advised the electorate to take advantage of their PVCs to exercise their franchise.

    “Your PVC is your electoral power. You can use it to vote the person you want into power or use it to vote out the person you do not want,” he said.

     

  • 2019: INEC registers 104,388 new voters in Kwara

    independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 104,388 persons have registered for their permanent voter cards (PVC) since the commencement of the exercise in April 2017. Administrative Secretary of INEC in the state, Paul Atser, said this in Ilorin, the state capital during a meeting he had with stakeholders on Friday. He said the Commission has taken delivery of 10, 221 new PVCs from the headquarters, adding that many more will be delivered to the Commission very soon.

    He expressed happiness that the 242,000 uncollected old PVCs have been depleted as 4,388 have been collected by their owners leaving 238,000 to be collected. Atser therefore called on those who registered for PVC since 2015 to visit INEC registration centres for collection. He added that the new PVCs received will be ready for collection as from Monday, May 21 throughout the country and were for those that registered in 2017 either for new PVCs, loss of PVCs, damaged PVCs or transfer PVCs.

    He however declared that there would not be collection by proxy as everybody who registered must come physically to collect their cards with the temporary voter card (TVC) as evidence before collection. He added that anybody that has lost his or her TVC, will need to fill a form after checking the register for his or photograph to confirm that the person was the owner of the card.

    Atser hailed the stakeholders, particularly political parties for the cooperation the Commission has been enjoying and making Kwara peaceful. Representatives of the police, customs, immigration, prisons services, Civil Defense and Directorate of State Security attended the meeting.

  • Imo APC Ward Congress characterized by confusion, controversies – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Friday the Ward Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State was characterized by “confusion and controversies.”

    The Commission said in a report signed by its Administrative Secretary in the state, Barr. T.O.N. Ongele, that sensitive materials for the ward congress were missing.

    INEC  said: “The exercise was characterized in its entirety with confusion and controversies as reported by the officers that monitored the congress at the various wards and local government areas.

    “The state Chairman of the party Dr. Hillary Ekeh, in his letter to the REC had indicated that the list of presiding officers, returning and electoral officers for the congress in the various wards will be duly submitted to the REC’s office few hours before the election.

    “Given this, the Head of Election and Political Party Monitoring had requested all the EOs to report at the state office at Owerri by 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning to collect all the relevant details expected to be provided by the state chairman as well as the checklist. At about 9:20 a.m. the REC put a call across to the Chairman of the Congress Committee, Chief Inibehe Okori, informing him that we were awaiting the list of contact persons.

    “He confirmed that he was in a meeting with the governor and will get back to the REC as soon as he is through. When at 11:00 a.m. we did not receive the expected materials from either the state chairman or the Chairman of the Congress Committee, the EOs were directed to dispatch their staff to the field and to proceed to their respective LGAs for monitoring.

    “It is pertinent to state that the ward congress in its entirety was characterized with contusion and controversies as reported by the officers that monitored the congress at the various wards and LGAs. At a point, we were told that the Congress Committee Panel that was posted to Imo State was swapped with that of Anambra State but no letter to that effect was received by the REC.

    “In some of the LGAs, the INEC monitors reported that result sheets were not provided for the congresses and in some, electoral personnel were not seen. In some other instances, the INEC monitors were told on arrival that the congress had been concluded. In some other LGAs there was no evidence that the congress took place.

    “The INEC document also contained reports from electoral officers that monitored the exercise across the state.

    One of the EOs, Mr. Okike Emeka, in his report, said “the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Ward Congress scheduled to hold at the various wards in Isiala Mbano LGA on the 5th May 2018, was marred with controversies as reported by our staff that were at the various venues to monitor the 12 Wards in the LGA during the congress. There was no fixed time for the congress and this left most people in the dark.”

     

     

  • INEC fixes June 2 for Ibarapa bye-election

    Following the untimely death of the Ex-speaker, Oyo state House of Assembly, late Michael Adeyemo, who represented the Ibarapa state Constituency, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday fixed Saturday, June 2nd for the bye-election to fill the vacant seat at the hallowed chamber.

    INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Oyo State, Mutiu Agboke, made the disclosure at the Agodi, Ibadan, state headquarters of the Commission during a press briefing, on Tuesday.

    Michael Adeyemo died on Friday, April 27. He was aged 47.

    Agboke, a lawyer, called on political parties interested in fielding candidates for the election to ensure they conduct their primaries between Wednesday and Saturday 19, May, just as he assured voters in the area of conducting a credible election.

    He said the Commission arrived on the date after putting all legal and administrative tendencies into considerations.

    The REC, who remarked that the election would be conducted in 140 polling units of the constituency, said political parties, security agencies and other stakeholders had been invited to discuss the timetable and activities that would lead to the election.

    He said machinery was set in motion to fulfil extant laws as soon as the House of Assembly informed the commission formally of the death of Speaker Adeyemo and the consequent vacancy of his position as a lawmaker.

    Read Also: INEC to redistribute 1.4m unclaimed PVCs in Lagos

    He disclosed that the permanent voter cards (PVCs) for those who freshly registered in the 2017 continuous voter registration had been produced and were ready for collection from Monday next week.

    However, he added that the PVCs for those who registered in 2018 had not been produced, explaining that they would be ready for use in the 2019 elections.

    He said, 630, 853 PVCs were yet to be collected in the state, disclosing that the commission had embarked on a series of advocacy campaign and engagement with stakeholders to ensure make the owners of the cards claim them.

    He said, “The total number of new registrants under CVR is 290, 960 comprising 149, 554 males and 141, 406 females. Incidentally and quite disturbing as at today, 630,853 Permanent Voters Cards are yet to be collected by their owners.”

    He explained further that the commission had taken the campaign to churches and mosques, urging those yet to collect their PVCs to do so at the INEC local government offices in the 33 local government areas of the state.