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Tag: Inec

  • Deployment of technology for elections has come to stay – Yakubu

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said on Monday the use of technology for conduct of elections in the country has come to stay.

    Yakubu, who was speaking at the opening session of a three-day conference on “Opportunities and Challenges In The Use Of Technology In Elections” in Abuja, said despite the numerous challenges with the use of technology due to Infrastructural deficit, the idea has come to stay.

    He argued that the benefits in the deployment of technology are immense as it has empowered the people to protect their mandates using various social media platforms to track result transmission.

    He said: ” Already, Election Management Bodies in our sub-regions and beyond have deployed technology in one way or another to improve on the processes, administration and outcome of elections ranging from training and capacity-building for electoral officials, promotion of inclusivity in the electoral process (youths, women, PWDs, IDPs and out-of-country/diaspora voters), the biometric registration of voters, delineation of electoral constituencies, geo-referencing of existing as well as the creation of new polling units, establishment of robust electronic databases, accreditation of voters during elections, actual voting and the speedy and more accurate collation/transmission of results. The deployment of technology has also empowered citizens, more than ever before, to organise, mobilise and protect their mandates using various social media platforms to track result transmission and undertake Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT).

    “At the same time, the deployment of technology has its numerous challenges. Given the deficit of infrastructure and expertise in many countries in our sub-regions and the regularity with which elections are conducted, concerns have been raised about cost, choice and effectiveness of technology. Furthermore, given the high stakes involved in conducting elections in developing countries, Electoral Commissions must understandably be worried about the twin issues of communication and security, especially in situations where data reside with, and is indirectly transmitted to the tallying centres through, offshore vendors rather than exclusively controlled within national boundaries by the Election Management Bodies. In addition, we have to contend with the disturbing but rapidly increasing incidence of election meddling through the deployment of counter-technology on a global scale by state and non-state actors.”

     

  • We won’t allow sharing of money during Ekiti poll – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Monday it has put mechanisms in place to check sharing of money to voters during the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, warned political parties against inducing voters during the election.

    He said party agents caught sharing money would be dealt in accordance with the law.

    Yakubu expressed regret that the previous governorship polls in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States were highly monetized with each voter getting as high as N5,000 each to vote for parties.

    The INEC chief, who gave the warning at a stakeholders’ meeting on Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Ado-Ekiti, said the Commission would collaborate with security agencies to check vote buying at polling booths.

    The meeting was attended by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, an aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leaders of political parties, security agencies, market women, civil society organizations and labour leaders, among others.

    Yakubu, who was represented by the National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo States, Prince Adedeji Soyebi, said vehicles won’t be allowed near polling booths during the Ekiti poll “because politicians used them to ferry cash to be shared to voters.”

    He said: “The elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States were largely monetized. We are aware of this. It was see and buy, but it won’t happen in Ekiti.

    “It was N5,000 per vote in Ondo and Anambra States. We are working with security agencies not to allow it to happen again. We even seized some cash in Anambra State.

    “In Ekiti election, we won’t allow any vehicle to come near the polling units because the politicians used to keep the money in the booth. With this, it will reduce because politicians can’t carry large amount in their pockets.”

  • Group storms INEC, demands prosecution of Mantu over ‘poll-rigging confession’

    Maverick showbiz superstar, Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charlyboy, has led the `Ourmumudondo’ group, on a peaceful protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over Senator Ibrahim Mantu’s alleged poll-rigging confession.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest which took place yesterday in Abuja, was to urge the electoral umpire to prosecute Mantu on electoral malpractices over his recent ‘poll-rigging confession.’

    According to the group, the protest is to remind the INEC that Mantu’s case is an opportunity for it to demonstrate its resolve to prosecute electoral offenders and sanitise the electoral system.

    Mr Raphael Adebayo, National Secretary of the ‘Our mumu dondo’ movement, alleged that Mantu, a former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, has revealed how he helped his party (PDP) to win elections in the past.

    “Ibrahim Mantu, who was a senator on the platform of the PDP, recently confessed how he rigged elections during an interview on a live programme aired on a private television channel.

    “He admitted to bribing electoral and security officials, and even agents of other political parties in order not to raise any objection to the outcomes of the elections.

    “We believe he has confessed to serious crimes against the nation, and this is a good opportunity for INEC to demonstrate its resolve to prosecute electoral offenders as a deterrent to others in future,” he said.

  • Ekiti 2018: INEC issues election notice

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday issued a Notice of Election for the July 14 poll in Ekiti State.

    The issuance signalled beginning of activities toward the conduct of the election.

    However, the ban on campaigns will be lifted on April 14.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof. AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji, who addressed a briefing at INEC’s office in Ado-Ekiti, said the notice was issued 90 days to the election.

    He said the electoral umpire would conduct a credible, transparent, free and fair election.

    Raji explained that in accordance with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, INEC must give a notice of 90 days.

    He said campaigns would begin from April 15 and end midnight of July 12.

    Raji added that parties will, on June 30, submit names of their agents.

    According to him, any party that fails to meet up with the date will not have no agent.

    The INEC chief said after July 12, parties would not be allowed to go on air to campaign or run adverts and jingles for their candidates.

    He said: “Any party that fails to submit names of its agents by June 30 will not be allowed to field agents at the election.

    “After July 12, no jingles or adverts of candidates and parties will be entertained. It is the job of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and security agencies to enforce the law.”

    Raji said as part of efforts to ensure more people registered for the election, 531 centres had been created.

    He said the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in the new centres would begin between April 11 and 16 in 177 registration areas.

    According to him, the exercise became necessary, to move it closer to the people and enhance participation in the election.

    Raji said: “In line with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2013 as amended, it provides that not later than 90 days to the election, INEC must give the notice of election and by the constitution, today marks the day we should give the notice of election.

    “As the Resident Electoral Commissioner, and on behalf of the leadership of the commission, I give the notice of the governorship election today 90 days to the poll.

    “I urge people who are yet to register and have attained 18 years to register, as we are moving the centres to them.

    “We want to remove bottlenecks people complain of; from economic to distance and some political reasons. We are bringing registration to their doorsteps.

    “We promise the people that a few weeks after the exercise; their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be ready for collection. We expect them to go to our offices for their cards, because no PVC, no election.”

    He said 513,000 PVCs have been distributed, adding that 218,000 cards are yet to be collected by those who registered before April 2017.

    Raji advised stakeholders to cooperate with INEC to ensure a successful poll.

     

    ‘218,000 PVCs uncollected in Ekiti’

    INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday that 218,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected in Ekiti Stte.

    It has issued a “Notice of Election”, informing that the governorship election will hold on July 14.

    INEC said this was in line with the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Law.

    Spokesman Taiwo Gbadegesin, at a public enlightenment forum in Ado-Ekiti, said 500,000 PVCs had been collected.

    He advised those yet to pick their PVCs to do so, saying they would be disenfranchised without PVCs.

    Gbadegesin said PVCs for those who registered between April 2017 to date were yet to be delivered from Abuja.

    The spokesman said the cards would be distributed as soon as they were delivered to the Ekiti State office of INEC.

    He said university students and corps members, who had completed their service, might be those who had not collected their PVCs.

    Gbadegesin said the commission also suspected others who did double registration.

    “They may be afraid that they can be arrested if they show up,” he said.

    Gbadegesin said the commission would sensitise voters ahead of the election.

    He advised parties to sensitise their followers and members on the need to collect their PVCs.

  • INEC revives committee

    Ahead of the coming governorship election in Ekiti State and the 2019 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revived the State Implementation Committee on Voters’ Education and Publicity (SICVEP).

    It said this is part of efforts at ensuring free, fair, credible, acceptable and conclusive elections.

    The committee is made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Information, state Ministry of Information, the Ekiti State Office of the National Orientation Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs, the state government owned Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State and the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the revived committee in Ado Ekiti, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Abdul-Ganiyu Olayinka Raji, stressed the importance of passing accurate information on guidelines for the ongoing voters’ registration and other relevant voters’ education towards ensuring the success of the governorship election this year and the general election next year.

    The REC, who spoke through the Administrative Secretary of the Commission in the state, Dr. Omoleke Muslim, expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the voters’ registration exercise, noting that the number of the newly registered voters had exceeded the number recorded in the previous exercise by over 20 per cent.

    He listed the activities lined up for the committee in preparation for the elections to include organising implementation meetings with relevant stakeholders, voters’ education exercise at the grassroots level as well as production and distribution of information, education and communication materials.

  • INEC okays kick-off of campaign in Ekiti Wednesday

    Beginning from next week, campaign for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State will open, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday.

    Chairman of INEC Prof. Mahmud Yakubu said yesterday that the agency will paste the notice of election on Wednesday after which parties were free to campaign.

    Yakubu said campaign will commence Ekiti on April,15 while political parties are expected to conduct their primaries simultaneously with the commencement of campaign between April 15 and May 14.

    He said: The election in Ekiti will hold in all the 16 local government areas across 177 wards and 2,195 Polling Units.

    The election agency boss added “In the case of Osun Governorship election, the notice of election will be pasted on June 23, campaigns will commence on June 24 while the party primaries for the selection of candidates will hold between  June 24 and July23.”

    Prof. Yakubu told Inspector general of Police Ibrahim Idris during a visit that the agency was worried about vote buying during election at polling units.

    He said such an act is a violation of the electoral law and tantamount to electoral malpractice. To him, this should not be allowed to continue.

    Yakubu reminded the police of its responsibility to halt the ugly trend.

    “There is something that is extremely worrisome to INEC and that is open vote buying at polling units. We have seen that in more recent elections.

    “This is a violation of the electoral act, it is malpractice and you have the responsibility to ensure that this practice is stopped forthwith. Our democracy can never be on sale to the highest bidder, ours is a democracy and not a plutocracy for the rich.

    “Therefore I would like to appeal to the IGP, as we approach the EKiti and Osun governorship elections and as we move to the 2019 general elections to pay particular attention to this disturbing practice.

    “We will be happy if the police will deploy Special Forces beginning with Ekiti and Osun to ensure that what transpires at the polling units is nothing but the will of Nigerians.

    Only the votes cast freely by citizens would determine who wins the elections not the inducement of citizens by the use of cash at polling units during elections.  I am confident that given the level of cooperation and synergy we have with the police, this matter will be addressed. ”

    He also posited that “the Police are the lead agency for election security, it is essentially responsible for securing the environment for the commission to deploy and to conduct free and fair elections.”

  • NHRC blames INEC for electoral impunity

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for increasing impunity and cases of unlawful acts during elections.

    NHRC argued that electoral impunity would persist until INEC, its official and the various security agencies involved in the conduct of elections learn to remain impartial.

    The Commission suggested the prompt establishment of electoral crimes court to try election offenders.

    It also urged election tribunals to always deploy the powers under Section 146 of the Electoral Act 2010 to recommend cases of electoral infractions for the necessary agencies for investigation and prosecution.

    These were contained in a report released in Abuja on Wednesday by NHRC on its study of cases relating to the 2015 general election.

    The report is titled: “An independent study of the 2015 general election petition cases for evidence of gross violations of rights to participate in government, to public service and fair election (phase two: Final report).”

    The report, a sequel to similar report released in 2016, is the final phase of the NHRC’s “end electoral impunity” project launched in 2013.

    This report presents 35 cases of indictments involving INEC, its officials, politicians, lawyers, tribunals and the Nigeria Police Force.

    The 35 cases featured in this report were broken to include: 11 instances of criminal indictment, 14 criminal/administrative indictment, four administrative and six professional indictment.

    INEC and its officials featured in 23 of the 35 cases of indictment featured in the report.

     

  • INEC sacks 205 for 2015 elections fraud

    •Why we use academics as collation officers, by Yakubu

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended 205 officials over various unwholesome roles in the 2015 general elections.

    INEC’s Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu made this known yesterday in his keynote address at a national colloquium organised by the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG) in Abuja.

    He said the interdiction, recommended by INEC’s Appointments, Promotion and Discipline Committee (APDC), was the highest so far.

    Mahmud said constructive criticisms from the public had helped the commission to get better in delivering its mandate vis-a-vis conducting credible elections.

    Mahmud said that the commission had conducted elections in 179 constituencies so far, adding that only five had been challenged in court, which attested to the credibility of the elections.

    He said at present, INEC had received over 100 additional applications for new political parties, while nine had met the criteria.

    The INEC chairman gave an assurance that the 2019 elections would be better than that of 2015.

    Yakubu said the determination to make outcomes of elections credible informed the engagement of tested and trusted members of the academic community as collation officers.

    Revealing that an additional seven million Nigerians have registered through the window provided by the Continuous Voters Registration Programme, he reiterated the electoral body’s stand that there was no legal encumbrance stopping the commission from proceeding with the sequence of election as entrenched in the existing electoral law.

    Reacting to allegations made by some members of the civil society group that some of the collation officers have been found to have either connived with certain political interests or abdicate their responsibilities in some cases, Yakubu noted that the selection process of the university dons has always been thorough with the full participation of the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    “On how what we are doing to prevent the connivance of collation officers in rigging of results, we still believe that the university community is still apolitical and we can rely on them largely for the job at hand.  It is for that reason that the commission has always worked with ASUU to recruit credible persons for us. We have now changed the strategy of recruitment as we now move outside the immediate environment where an election is taking place to recruit collation officers. And to endure minimal contact with them, you will see that we no longer publish names of the collation officers as we used to do in the past”, he said.

    On the seven million additional voters, the INEC chairman noted that Rivers State tops the list of states with the highest registered voters followed by Anambra, Borno and Delta. Others include Lagos, Cross River, Osun, Enugu, Kano and Plateau.

    He said the commission is in talks with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to help in liaising with telecoms service providers to assist in sending bulk messages to millions of voters who are yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards, which are still in the offices of the electoral body.

    On the controversial change in the sequence of the 2019 elections by the National Assembly and the ongoing case at the court, Yakubu noted: “There is no legal encumbrance on the sequence of election as far as INEC is concerned. There is an existing law and whatever is happening is inchoate. There are no legal lacunae and we have been working based on the existing law. If the proposed amendment is passed, we would look at it. If not, we go ahead with the existing law.”

    The book reviewer and popular human rights activist, Mr. Ledum Mitee, said the 69-page report aptly captures the drama surrounding all the 167 elections conducted by INEC after the 2015 elections, noting that particular attention was paid to the activities of some collation officers who allegedly “colluded with one party or the other or absconded from their duty post and also some security officers who gave security cover to political thugs and colluded with one party or the other”.

    Executive Director, ISDMG Dr. Chima Amadi said INEC had been the most responsive of all government agencies involved in the election value chain.

    He said that INEC had been taking advice and constructive criticisms and adjusting its activities to reflect same while such could not be said about others within the chain.

    The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a book/report titled: “INEC Beyond 2015, Overview, Challenges and Prospects.”

    The report was written by Amadi, Faith Nwadishi, MacDonald Ekemezie, Abdul Mahmud, James Ugochukwu and Atambi Ade.

     

     

  • Kashamu petitions INEC over Ogun PDP exco

    SENATOR representing Ogun East Buruji Kashamu has written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Executive Council.

    He wrote the commission against the backdrop of a recent judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which directed INEC and the PDP to obey an earlier judgment of the court that declared Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco as the authentic leadership of the party in the state.

    In the letter dated March 26, Kashamu questioned why the commission was recalcitrant in keeping to its tradition of obeying court orders and judgments until a superior court says otherwise.

    “The commission’s position with regards to the Ogun State PDP Exco negates its well-known and established tradition of giving effect to court judgments until a superior court says otherwise. INEC had in similar situations as this case taken the path of honour and rectitude as shown in the cases of Chief Ejike Oguebego Vs Prince Kenneth Emeakayi over the Anambra State PDP Exco; Samsom Ogah Vs Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim Vs Eyitayo Jegede, just to mention a few. So, what has changed? Why is the case of Ogun State PDP Exco different?” Kashamu wrote.

    The letter reads: “You would recall that I had written three different letters dated 29th January, 2018, 5th and 12thFebruary, 2018 respectively to you, in respect of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Executive. However, it is surprising that up till date, the commission has not replied any of the letters.

    “The silence, notwithstanding, I am again constrained to write you, particularly to draw your attention to yet another judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which has not be stayed or upturned on appeal.”

    The lawmaker said the latest judgment has been served on the commission’s legal department and wondered why the “the Director of Legal Services, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, is either keeping the judgment away from your office and/or sitting on it”.

    Kashamu contended that the court held that the judgment of the Supreme Court on the national leadership tussle between Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi has nothing to do with the issue of the Ogun State PDP Exco.

    “As you would find in the judgment, the court held that the resolution of a political party in respect of a State Exco cannot vitiate the subsisting judgment of court. It also ruled that the judgment of the Supreme Court in the Ali Modu Sheriff/ Makarfi case has nothing to do with the issue of the Ogun State Exco.

    “So, the ill-advised decision of the commission to recognise some dissidents instead of the authentic and legally-recognised Ogun State PDP Exco has no basis in law and it is antithetical to internal democracy and justice.”

  • Kano Assembly backs Buhari on Electoral Act

    The Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly,  Alhaji Abdullahi Ata, says the house is in  support of  President Muhammad Buhari on  his refusal to assent to  the bill on  amendment of  the Electoral Act.

    Ata spoke  on Monday while answering questions during a live phone-in programme on a local radio station in Kano, Express Radio.

    The News men reports that one of the major amendments  by the National Assembly  changed  the sequence of elections, with the National Assembly poll coming first and the  presidential  last,  contrary to INEC’s proposal.

    Ata, however, said there was  no need for the change now,  adding that those seeking  the amendment of the Electoral Act,  especially the change in election sequence, were  doing it in the pursuit of  personal interests.

    The Speaker added that even if the election time table was changed with the presidential election coming last, the president would still win.

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    “Therefore, we are not in support of the change in  the sequence because it can only cause unnecessary spending by the electoral body, despite the economic issues in the country.

    “With the efforts of the president, we are gradually getting out of the economic challenges.

    “Therefore we should exercise more patience  and continue to support the state and the Federal Government toward  moving the country forward,’’ he said.

    Ata also  said the assembly was not dancing to the tune of the executive, maintaining that it was committed to the discharge of its  responsibilities.

    He said  maturity on  both sides and  mutual understanding had been responsible for the prevailing peace in the polity.

    “We always make sure that we discharge our duties as legislators  effectively and accordingly.

    “ We always make sure that we initiate and pass bills  on issues that concern the electorate   and also reject bills presented before us by the executive whenever we think there is the need for that  and the executive agrees  with our decision in the interest of the general public,’’ Ata said.

    Ata, however, pledged to continue to render the necessary support to the executive in order to provide the electorate with the dividends  of democracy through execution of  meaningful projects in the state.

    NAN