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Tag: Inec

  • Electorate shun INEC recall process

    Voters in Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in Kogi have shunned the ongoing verification exercise organised by INEC to authenticate the signatures of voters seeking to recall Sen. Dino Melaye ( APC/Kogi West ).

    Correspondents of the newsmen, monitoring the exercise in Melaye’s Kogi West Senatorial District, observed that the polling units were empty, with many people claiming that they were not aware of it.

    At some areas, youths protested against the move to recall the senator who they described as “an excellent representative”.

    An NYSC member, Miss Opemipo Solomon, the INEC officer at Akafe Lane polling unit, said that no one had shown up since they arrived the voting venue at 6.45 a.m.

    “No one has come to sign the recall papers; what we have had so far are threats from people asking us leave this place.

    “The people do not appear interested in what we are doing. Some youths have come to warn us against staying here,” she said.

    Another corps member, David Adah, INEC presiding officer at the Odo Akete polling unit also in kabba, said that many youths were angry over the recall process.

    “So many youths from the community are angry; they have alleged that their signatures were forged to endorse the recall process.

    “Most of the youths, who saw their names among those that signed for the recall of Melaye, have disowned the signatures and insisted that they are happy with the Senator,” he said.

    At the embattled senator’s polling unit in Ayetoro Gbede, a traditional ruler, Chief Ojo Adekunle, who led some youths to protest against the recall process, said that they were not aware of Melaye’s offence.

    “Melaye has done so well and we are happy with him; we have no reason to want to recall him,” he said.

    Read Also: INEC unveils timetable for Osun poll

    Adekunle told the newsmen that Melaye was the best Senator Kogi West had ever produced, and urged his people not to betray their representative at this trying period.

    Mrs. Vicoria Ajewole, APC Woman Leader in Kabba Local Government, expressed surprise at the recall process, and declared that “it won”t work”.

    “Melaye is our son; there is no way anyone can recall him,” she said.

    At the central area of Kabba town, youths were seen chanting songs in praise of Sen. Dino Melaye. They vowed to resist attempt to disgrace him.

    Efforts to speak with INEC officials at the commission’s office in Kabba proved abortive as they refused to comment on the exercise

    Stern-looking Policemen keeping vigil at the polling points also refused to comment on the exercise.

    NAN

  • INEC unveils timetable for Osun poll

    INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released timetable for the September 22 Osun State governorship election.

    Briefing reporters yesterday at the INEC office on Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, said the release was in line with the Electoral Act.

    He said 411,438 Permanent Voter Cards were yet to be collected.

    The REC, who said a notice of election would be made on June 23, with campaign beginning June 24, added that primaries, including resolution of disputes, would be between June 24 and July 23.

    Agbaje said August 22 is last day for submission of nomination forms, and campaigns end on September 20.

    Promising a free, fair and transparent election, he advised stakeholders to support the commission to conduct a credible poll.

    The REC said: “We have the mandate to provide a level- playing field for all players and we expect in return the cooperation of stakeholders. We expect you to support the commission to maintain equity and justice before, during and after the process.

    “On our part, we promise to operate an open door policy and ensure the entrenchment of core values and standards of the INEC with zero tolerance for electoral fraud.”

     

  • 2019: INEC seek NOA, NYSC’S support for credible election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State has sought support of the National Orientation Agency & National Youth Service Corps to enhance success of 2019 general elections.

    The spokesman for the Commission, Mr. Femi Akinbiyi made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.

    According to the statement, Mr. Sam Olumekun, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner visited both NOA & the NYSC orientation camp in the state on Wednesday to seek collaboration towards a successful conduct of elections.

    “While I thank you for your response support for the Commission in the time past, I want to ask you for more support in mobilizing Lagos and to participate in the electoral processes ahead of 2019 polls.”

    “I want the NOA to especially join the Commission in mobilizing eligible for voters who have abandoned their Permanent voters cards (PVC) to come and claim them.”

    “I acknowledge the strength of NOA & the fact that INEC cannot do it alone. Our people must participate in electoral process for democracy to thrive”

    “The Commission is ready to partner with NOA & other stakeholders in our drive to deliver credible, transparent, free & fair elections in 2019.

    “INEC has developed an election project plan and strategic plan of action and has itemised all we need to conduct  a successful free and fair elections.

    “If the last election was rated very high by both local and international observers, we are prepared to deliver a more credible one in 2019 to spas previous achievement.

    Mr. Olumekun urged NOA to sensitized people against violence during elections, saying electoral violence could prevent people from exercising their civic responsibility.

    At the NYSC Orientation camp, the REC Sam Olumekun also commended the State’s coordinator of NYSC, Prince Mohammed Momoh and asked for the support of the organization.

    “We thank   you for your usual support, the Commission will like to improve the MOU between us, please if there is area we need to fine tune in the MOU let us know now so  as to cement the synergy for it to work better in future.

    “Because of the advancement in technology and other issues we must commence early training of Youth Corps members on the handling of the smart card readers ahead of the election.

    “We have noticed that one of the reasons these smart card readers are handled

    “This time around, we want to devote time to educate the Corps members during their Community Development (CD) activities at various Local governments”

    Mr. I shola Waheed, the State’s Director of NOA,  in his response, promised to assist INEC to publicize its activities and mobilize people to participate in electoral process.

    “We shall avail the Commission our officials across the Local government areas in Lagos State to pubilise your programmes. We have over 207 officials to assist INEC”

    Prince Momoh also gave the commitment of NYSC to support INEC in order to deliver acceptable elections in the State.

  • INEC releases timetable for Osun Guber polls

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun has released the timetable for the conduct of the state’s Sept. 22 governorship election.
    Presenting the timetable to newsmen on Thursday in Osogbo, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, the newly appointed Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) said election activities would commence on June 23 with the release of “Notice of Election’’ by INEC.
    Agbaje said political parties would commence public campaign on June 24 while candidates for elections and their parties would have the opportunities to obtain forms at INEC headquarters from June 25.
    The REC said that party primaries and resolution of disputes arising from the primaries would hold from June 24 to July 23.
    “The last day for withdrawal of candidate(s) and replacement of withdrawn candidate(s) by political parties would be August 8 while the last day for the submission of nomination forms would be August 22.

    Read Also:  INEC ‘has not created 30,000 illegal polling units’

    “The last day of campaigns will be Sept. 20, while the election proper will hold on Sept. 22 as provided in section 178 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),’’ he said.
    Agbaje said that as parts of the commission’s roadmap for the election, Continuous Voter Registration (CRV) had been extended at the 332 wards in the state from April 11 to April 16.
    He said those who were newly captured would undergo Automatic Finger Identification System (AFIS) before their names would be ratified and added to the present list of registered voters in Osun.
    The REC reassured that the PVC for registered voters in the state would be distributed before the governorship election on Sept. 22.
    Agbaje said that 411,438 PVCs were yet to be collected in the state.

  • Labour Party sues IG, INEC

    THE leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) has assumed another dimension as one faction of the party led by Dr. Mike Omotosho has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Inspector General Ibrahim Idris before an Abuja Federal High Court.

    The faction is, among other things, seeking an order of injunction restraining the INEC from recognising and dealing with one Alhaji Abdulkadi Salam as chairman of the party.

    It is also seeking the IG from providing him with police protection.

    In a motion on notice brought against the respondents, the plaintiffs, which include the Labour Party as the first plaintiff, the National Working Committee of the party as the second to 18th plaintiffs, and Dr. Mike Omotosho as the 19th plaintiff, specifically sought “an order of injunction restraining the second defendant (the IG) from giving police protection to the third defendant (Alhaji Abdulkadir Salam) as the national chairman of the first plaintiff.

    The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that by the combined provisions of Sections 85 and 86 of the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the first plaintiff, the first defendant is not empowered to overrule or disregard the removal of the third defendant as national chairman of the party by the plaintiffs.

    The hearing of the matter, which was slated for Friday, was stalled by Justice Gabriel Kolawole’s absence.

  • 2019: PERL engages Borno Stakeholders on electoral processes

    The Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), a DFID funded program in Nigeria has engaged stakeholders in Borno State to discuss the electoral processes ahead of the 2019 general elections in the country.

    The meeting which was held at Barwee Luxury Suites in Maiduguri had in attendance representatives of the media, Civil Society Organization, National Orientation Agency (NOA), State House of Assembly, religious and faith based organization, private sector, service delivery partners among others.

    The co-chair of the meeting Prof. Danjuma Gambo at the plenary together with the participants brainstormed on issues arising from the conduct of elections both before during and after the process in the state.

    The sessions tried to asked questions which have direct impact on the electoral process and the role of the various stakeholders in affecting the process.

    Some of the important questions raised include; how are the constituencies currently engaging the electoral process?, how well are they working together and to what degree are they influential in the electoral process?

    Other issues also discussed included the possible electoral and post electoral outcomes in the state, which of the outcomes are most likely to occur, what are the possible opportunities in terms of issues, actors and platforms that patterns can engage pre and post elections and what are the potential risks and dangers and how they could be mitigated in the state.

    The co-chair, Prof. Danjuma Gambo at the end of the deliberation submitted that all stakeholders need to work hard in the state on the electoral process especially the pre-election time so as to mitigate the potential dangers ahead of the election.

    “Going by the discussions that we have head hear, there is more work to be done concerning citizens engagement in the electoral process in Borno State. It is therefore very important that all stakeholders in this hall must agree to step of their game for a more constructive engagement of the citizen on electoral processes in the state especially the pre-election time so that the expected outcomes will be favorable to all”, Prof Gambo said.

    The Northeast Regional Team Leader for PERL/ECP Mrs Elizabeth Sara observed that citizen must be educated to de-emphasis on making personal demands from politicians but rather demand for community development for the welfare of the generality of everyone.

    “We must try to stop this trend of people going to politicians to make personal requests such as assistance for naming ceremony, assistance to marry. In order to drive development, person should approach politicians with community issues that affects everyone in that community so that such development if carried out will change the lives of the entire people in the community instead of one individual”, Mrs Sara observed.

    Ms Ase Taide, the Northeast partnership facilitator for PERL while explaining the objectives of the meeting said, “the timing is very important and we cannot wait until election time to engage citizens on their right”.

    The Borno State Director of National Orientation Agency Yaya Imam informed that his agency been carrying out sensitization campaign across the state by engaging with relevant stakeholders like INEC, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the media etc.

    He called on all stakeholders especially the CSOs to sit up to their responsibility of sensitizing the people in order to have a free and fair election come 2019.

    NAN

     

  • Ekiti Govt to provide CCTV cameras on major roads – FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has called on the Ekiti government to install CCTV Cameras in major areas of Ado-Ekiti, to stem social vices in the state capital.

    The FRSC Sector Commander (RS 8.2), Mr Ismaila Kugu, made the call in an interview with our reporter in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

    He said: “I want to appeal to the State Government to urgently respond to the immediate call for the installation of CCTV Cameras now, to help curb the activities of criminals, especially under the newly-built Fajuyi overhead bridge’’.

    According to him, his command has increased its links with media organisations to intensify sensitisation and create more awareness on traffic rules.

    Speaking on the newly-installed traffic lights, the sector commander charged motorists and pedestrians to acquaint themselves with the use of the traffic lights.

    “I don’t think the issue of the traffic light is new. It’s just the bridge that is new, I want to tell the public that traffic lights are always delaying traffic but it is a measure of trying to control traffic coming from different angles so that they can direct themselves to different directions.

    “It slows down movement and it that is because there is danger at the junction, so, for any other road user, they are expected to slow down at every junction, most especially where we have traffic lights and even where we don’t have traffic lights, at every roundabout, that is the first step.’’

    “The second step is to observe the flow of the lights; whether it is Red, Yellow or Green. Red means that you have to stop; Yellow means to be ready either to move or to stop, while the Green tells us to move.’’

    “And even for the Green light, you can’t just move when some people are still stopping you or still crossing, you are only to go when the road is clear and safe for you as a user to move or use.’’

    “The public and the road users are also advised to strictly follow the sequence of the lights and obey it regularly, for their own good.’’

    He noted that the misuse of traffic lights was more pronounced and prominent with the motorcyclists because they are mostly always in a hurry to beat the traffic lights at every junction.

    Kugu said that the delay experienced at every junction is created so as to avoid conflicts.

    “Some of our Officers have been there several times and several arrests have been made. We can’t be there permanently for so many reasons.

    On the rate of the road accidents, he said that statistics from Ekiti State have been very low, compared to other states across the country.

    The FRSC sector commander said the commission was ready to partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of successful, hitch-free and accident-free elections in the state in 2019.

    NAN

     

  • 2019: Police to comb uncompleted buildings, dump sites in Lagos

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Imohimi Edgal, says dump sites, undeveloped lands and uncompleted buildings likely to house criminals will be combed as part of preparations for the 2019 general elections.

    Edgal told our reporter on Monday at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja that the measure was to check crime ahead of   the forthcoming elections.

    According to him, many criminals have been living and keeping arms and ammunition at different dump sites as well as abandoned lands and buildings in the state.

    “We have not been paying serious attention to dump sites, abandoned lands and buildings.

    “Intelligence reports show that many criminals live and keep their weapons in these areas.

    “When we raided Olusosun dump site recently, we arrested over 100 suspected criminals.

    “We also recovered many arms and ammunition and Indian hemp from the place. The dump site covers an area of about 50 acres of land.

    “We have decided to take over such lands in Lagos as a proactive measure for violence-free elections in 2019.

    “As part of preparations, we have been having workshops with INEC officials.

    “We are also studying clips from previous elections in Lagos to identify all the black spots during elections.

    “We advise owners of abandoned lands and buildings within the metropolis to ensure that their facilities are not used by hoodlums.

    “We call on the public to report to the police any empty land and uncompleted buildings that hoodlums are using as their hideouts to plan for any crime, ’’ Edgal said.

    Reports have it that the Olusosun dump site at Ojota had been on fire for about a month, forcing the Lagos State Government to seal up all artisans’ shops in the area.

    Our reporter further reports that different police teams were sighted guarding the dump site and preventing residents from entering the area.

    NAN

     

  • INEC ‘has not created 30,000 illegal polling units’

    •Commission dismisses PDP’s claim

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied alleged plans to re-introduce 30,000 new polling units so as to compromise the 2019 general elections.

    The Peoples’ Democratic Party`s (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday in statement, alleged that INEC was planning to create 30,000 illegal polling units in some remote areas of the country.

    But a statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, yesterday in Abuja urged the public to disregard the statement.

    Oyekanmi said the fact of the matter was that the commission had received 3,789 requests nationwide for the creation of new polling units.

    He said INEC had directed its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to thoroughly assess the requests and provide it with information on new settlements not served or inadequately served by existing polling units.

    He added that the commissioners were also to provide information on areas with natural barriers that hinder access to existing polling units as well as areas that were distant from existing polling units.

    “The RECs are also to assess and provide information on areas affected by communal and other conflicts that make voting in existing polling units unsafe for voters,” he said.

    According to Oyekanmi, these reports were still being awaited from the various states.

    “It is these reports and the information they contain that will be collated and carefully examined by the commission to determine what changes may be necessary in the current polling units’ profile of the country.

    “Therefore, the insinuation that the commission intends to create 30,000 new polling units to compromise the 2019 general elections is false, misleading, unfounded and should be disregarded,” he said.

    The commission assured the public that its decisions and actions shall always be guided by the provisions of the extant laws and its determination to respond to requests by Nigerians to serve them better.

    He added that the creation of more polling units would be done only after full consultation with stakeholders.

     

     

  • INEC to redistribute 1.4m unclaimed PVCs in Lagos

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State on Friday said that it was making plans to redistribute the unclaimed 1.4 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the state.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state,  Sam Olumekun  disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    “We are actually working out a new strategy,” the INEC boss said, as he explained the commission’s plan to redistribute the permanent voter cards.

    Olumekun, who expressed concerned over the number of uncollected PVCs in Lagos state, urged the owners to go to INEC offices in their local government areas for collection.

    NAN reports that Lagos state has the highest number of unclaimed PVCs in the country.

    INEC had said that it was still in possession of 7,920,129 permanent voter cards yet to be collected from its offices across the nation.

    A breakdown of the uncollected PVCs as at March revealed that Lagos had the highest number of 1,401,390 followed by Oyo with 647,586 and Edo which had 449,001 while Kano had 195,941.

    The figure also showed Bauchi State as having the least number of uncollected PVCs, 15,542, followed by Bayelsa and Plateau which had 28,533 and 25,300 cards respectively.