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Tag: Inec

  • INEC seeks electoral offences tribunal before 2019 poll

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the National Assembly and other stakeholders to expedite action on the bill to establish the National Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The Commission also disclosed that it recorded 1,080 cases of electoral offences during the 2015 general elections and subsequent bye-elections.

    INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated these in a memorandum he submitted to the Senate joint committee on INEC and the Judiciary on Monday.

    He said 124 of the cases were filed and 60 convictions secured in various courts across the country.

    Yakubu expressed dismay that reports of the Electoral Reform Committee (the Uwais Report) of 2008 and the Post-election Violence (Lemu Report) 2011 have been left to gather dusts on the shelves.

    He said the two reports recommended the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal to address all forms of electoral violence and impunity that had continued to undermine the stability of the nation’s democracy.

    Yakubu lamented the fact that though INEC has the powers to prosecute, it lacks the powers to effect the arrest of electoral offenders.

    This, he said has continued to hamper effective prosecution of electoral offenders.

    Yakubu said: “While the Uwais Report was transmitted by the executive to the National Assembly in 2010, the White Paper on recommendations of the Lemu Report directed the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minster of Justice to take steps towards the establishment of the Electoral Offences Tribunal.

    “Nearly a decade later, there has been no legislative action on these aspects of the recommendations of the Uwais and Lemu reports, making the present effort by the Senate and the concurrent effort by the House of Representatives a welcome development.

    “The failure to systematically and consistently enforce sanctions has encouraged impunity and the violence that often characterised electoral contest in Nigeria, thereby subverting the will of the people and undermining the nation’s electoral democracy.

     

    “At present, INEC is saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting electoral offender. Section 150(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) empowered INEC to prosecute electoral offenders through its legal officers or any legal practitioner appointed by it without the powers to arrest and investigate thus depending on the police for this purpose.

    “Without the capacity to make arrest and investigate violations, the prosecutorial role is severely hampered. INEC cannot effectively focus on this role given its other variegated responsibilities under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).”

     

  • INEC probes under age voting in Kano

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set up an investigative committee to probe the allegations of under age voting in Kano State during the recent local government elections.

    The panel has received submissions and testimonies from 28 political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    INEC Public Relations Officer in Kano State Muhmmad Garba Lawan said the committee will get to the root of the matter and make appropriate recommendations.

    Also, PDP Vice Chairman Alhaji Shehu Na-Allah Kura was under age voting was worrisome to the party.

    The INEC official said stakeholders have been cooperating with the committee, adding its assignment will be fruitful.

    Members of the committee headed by Abubakar Nahuce, an engineer,  include MrsMay Agbamuche Mbu, Mike Igini,  Kassim Geidam, Yakubu M. Duku,  Rukayata Bummi,  Bello,  Paul Omokore,  and Jude Chikezie Okwuonu.

    The Committee has already met with officials of Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), civil society organisations, journalists and other stakeholders.

    The committee is expected to unravel the extent of participation of non-eligible voters in the exercise, the voters  register used during  the polls and activities of electoral officers.

    According to Nahuce, the aim of the commission is not to pass judgment on the conduct of the polls, but to ascertain, if the voters register was obtained from INEC.

    The setting up of the panel may provoke a debate on the relationship between the national and state electoral ommissions.

     

  • Clean-up of voter register continues, says INEC 

    Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman Rotimi Oyekanmi said the process is intensive and he solicited the support of Nigerians to rid the voter register of unqualified voters.

    He said the discovery of ineligible voters from Taraba State was a result of the vetting process.

    He appealed to all stakeholders, including political parties and the electorate to raise the red flag where they suspect irregularities.

    ”Well, if you see anything, say something,” he said, adding: “We want Nigerians to interrogate the voter register and if they find anything there, they should let us know and we will take action.

    “We are just determined to make sure that we clean the register as much as possible that is why we took the action in Taraba State.”

    The Taraba State office of the electoral body last Tuesday said it “discovered that some ineligible voters has been registered in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration exercise”.

    It said it had flagged the illegal registration for removal from the Voter Register, adding that its officials involved had been queried and referred to security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution.

    INEC also recently delisted over 200 foreign voters from the register.

    Speaking on the video of alleged underage voters in Kano State local government election, Mr Oyekanmi said “no single name has been added to the voter register in Kano since 2016.

    ”We have not issued any new PVC apart from that one (used in 2015 general election).

    “We have conducted elections using the same register in several places and there has been no complaint until now.

    “The political parties involved in those elections were given the voter register to interrogate and scrutinize before the elections, but none of them complained to INEC of any suspected underage voter.

    “As we approach Osun State governorship election, it also means we are going to print the voter register and give it to them for possible objection.”

    He called on all citizens to forward any objection to the commission, including any compromised INEC officials.

  • IYC partners INEC for increased voters’ population in Niger Delta

    IYC partners INEC for increased voters’ population in Niger Delta

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide is disturbed by voters’ population in the Niger Delta. The pressure group has stepped up its campaign to increase the voting strength of the region following its belief that Niger Delta’s development depends largely on the outcome of general elections.

    The argument is that the political relevance of a region is determined by its voting population and an enhanced voter register is a bargaining chip for development. To achieve this, the Oweilami Peretubo-led IYC has initiated a strategy to get all stakeholders involved in the campaign. The group needs the support of INEC authorities in the region.

    Recently, the Ijaw youth leadership took its sensitisation to Dr. Ntui Richard, the Acting Chairman and Administrative Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State. The delegation of IYC was led by its Spokesman, Mr. Daniel Dasimaka. He led the group’s National Treasurer, Clan chairmen from the Eastern Zone and some representatives of civil society organisations (CSO’s) to meet the electoral umpire.

    Dasimaka said the meeting with INEC was successful. He said the initiative was part of IYC concerns for improved voter awareness and stop electoral violence in the region. He said the group discussed issues that would enhance the ongoing continuous voter registration such as registration outlets, schedules and time in various states in the region. He said armed with such knowledge IYC would be able to direct the people adequately.

    He said the group also intended to partner with INEC to adequately deploy required tools, men, machine and materials for swift registration process. He said it was also the desire of IYC to spearhead a high turnout of eligible voters all communities of the region through voter education, awareness campaign and mass mobilisation.

    Dasimaka further said IYC appealed for a collaborative relationship with INEC to ensure that its officials have unfettered access to communities in the voter registration without threats, harassment or intimidation during and after the exercise.

    He said: “We are happy to be at the INEC office to forge a new relationship with them. We believe this is a partnership that is good for the peace and progress of our people.”

    Richard hailed the IYC for its support for the ongoing continuous voter’s registration exercise and awareness campaign against violent conducts during elections in the Niger Delta.

    He described the IYC as a long-standing youth group well known for its vocal leadership and positive role as a non-partisan socio-cultural organisation.

    He said the commission appreciated the efforts of the IYC in stabilising the Niger Delta region and the Southsouth.

    “We are delighted that the IYC is ready to collaborate with INEC because this is exactly what we have been looking out for from people and organisations who are interested in what INEC is doing,” he said.

    Richard, however, urged the Ijaw youths to take their campaign a step further by calling on already-registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Card (PVCs). He also asked them to engage the youths and educate them against violent conducts during and after the elections.

     

  • 2019 election: INEC to partner NURTW

    2019 election: INEC to partner NURTW

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is to enter into strategic partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for an effective distribution of materials and personnel ahead of next year’s elections.

    The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ebonyi State, Prof Godswill Obioma,  at a meeting attended by representatives of   the 29 branches of the NURTW and INEC  officials   in Abakaliki yesterday described transportation as a critical component of election involving timely movement of INEC personnel and electoral materials.

    He lauded the union for the previous partnership with the commission in the area of transport arrangements.

    “It becomes pertinent that adequate transportation arrangements are made to ensure that INEC officials and materials are moved to designated election centres on time,” Obioma said.

    He said the meeting was in line with the directives  from the commission’s national headquarters that state offices of INEC should hold meetings with its  strategic partners on election planning.

    The REC told members of the NURTW that the meeting was to enable the commission embark on early transportation planning.

    He said that the initiative would also help the commission to overcome avoidable mobility challenges.

    Obioma said that the meeting was a follow up to an earlier meeting held between the commission and the union.

    “The main purpose of this meeting is to start planning early the transportation arrangements and it is also a follow up to the meeting held last month.

    “We made some far reaching resolutions during the last meeting and it becomes even more urgent to partner with your union in making transportation arrangement now that our headquarters has given us orders to do so.

    “We were told to go back and meet with our stakeholders in various aspects to begin arrangements in earnest for the elections.

    “We have just met with the committee in charge of security called the Inter Agency Consultative Committee in Electoral Security,” he said.

    Obioma explained that they had used the opportunity availed by the meeting to lay out strategic plans for security.

    He said, “The Commissioner of Police is the chairman and REC is the co-chair man.”

    The REC said that a nine-man joint sub-committee to work out the modalities for effective engagement of the transporters would be constituted at the end of the meeting.

    He commended the union for attending the meeting and reassured its members of the  commitment of the commission aimed at  sustaining  existing cordial relationship between it and NURTW.

    Obioma also restated the commitment of the electoral body to conduct credible, free and fair elections in Ebonyi in 2019.

    The state chairman of the NURTW, Chief Oko Ewa, said the union would support the commission to succeed in the areas of transportation.

    Ewa, represented by the state secretary, Mr Sunday Ebude, said that NURTW would respect the partnership arrangement.

  • 2019: INEC expunged names of 299 aliens from register —Yakubu

    2019: INEC expunged names of 299 aliens from register —Yakubu

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expunged the names of 299 aliens from the voter register, the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said.

    The INEC, Yakubu said further, would do a thorough clean-up of the register before the 2019 general elections.

    He explained that the move is to ensure that ineligible voters are barred from participating in elections.

    Yakubu spoke yesterday at the regular consultative meeting with security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

    He said the commission will continue to work with the security agencies to ensure that the register is purged of ineligible voters.

    Besides, he revealed that the commission had secured a commitment from the Nigeria Immigration Service to deploy personnel in registration centres across the country.

    He said: “I am happy to report that the commission has been able to remove from the voter register the names of 299 aliens who registered as Nigerians. This was done on the basis of information received from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Registering to vote and actual voting in an election are the exclusive rights of Nigerian citizens to which aliens are excluded by law.

    “ We have agreed with the NIS that they will deploy their personnel in registration centres nationwide to ensure that only Nigerians will vote in our elections.

    “We shall continue to work in partnership to ensure that our voter register is purged of ineligible registrants as enshrined in the electoral Act.”

    This INEC boss assured Nigerians that before “we finalize the voter register for 2019 general elections, the commission will undertake a thorough clean-up of the existing register.  Under section 12(1) of the Electoral Act, those who are below the statute or regulations from registration as voters and persons who do not ordinarily reside, work or originate from the area covered by registration are ineligible. We will continue to thoroughly scrutinize all prospective registrants in the ongoing exercise in order to ensure that only eligible registrants are registered.”

    Yakubu, who admitted that there were some lapses in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, pleaded for the understanding of all, saying “we have been responding within the limits of available resources.”

    He assured all those who were yet to register that they would not be left out.

    Also, for those who registered in 2017 and are yet to collect their permanent voter cards, Yakubu said it would be ready for collection by the first week of May,2018, while those who registered in 2018 will have their voter cards before the general elections.

    On the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun governorship elections in July and September respectively, Yakubu said the commission is ready to go.

    “We are ready in the active period of preparations for the elections,” he said.

  • ‘INEC still probing Bello’s double registration’

    ‘INEC still probing Bello’s double registration’

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not stopped investigations into alleged double registration against Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kogi State Prof. James Apam, spoke at an interactive session with reporters and Civil Society Organisations yesterday.

    He explained that issuing a new Voters’ Card to the governor was based on advice from the commission’s Legal Department.

    Bello, he said, applied for the transfer of his details from Abuja to Okene, and it was acted upon.

    He reiterated that the development does not mean INEC will discontinue with the probe.

    “The fact that there is an allegation against the governor does not take away his right to demand a transfer. When his application was brought to INEC, it was subjected to legal advice and the application was approved, but the allegation of double registration is still hanging on him.”

    The commission, last year, accused Bello of double registration.

    Two INEC workers were later dismissed and a senior officer retired.

    Prof. Apam said 176,868 people have been registered since the exercise in April 2017, adding that 57,148 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) were distributed and 202,289 unclaimed.

  • Party registration: INEC receives 108 fresh applications

    Party registration: INEC receives 108 fresh applications

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Thursday it has received at least 108 fresh applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure while speaking on “Citizen, Government and Technology” at the ongoing Lagos Social Media Week.

    The Commission had in December last year registered 21 new political parties.

    The registration of the new parties brought the total number of registered political parties in the country to 68.

    Yakubu, who addressed the session via a video call, said the fresh applications were being processed by the Commission.

    He said: “As of Friday, we received at least 108 fresh applications from political associations seeking to be registered as political parties.

    “We have begun the processing and scrutinising the applications and we will register those that meet the eligibility criteria.”

    The INEC chairman said the Commission would continue to register political associations as parties so long as they meet the set guidelines.

    He, however, said political associations which sought registration six months before the general election would be barred from the polls.

    Yakubu said the Commission decided to take the step to ensure that parties had enough time to prepare for the elections.

    He said INEC was glad that out of the 21 parties that were registered recently, four were driven by women.

    NAN

     

     

  • 2019: INEC fixes election dates till 2055

    2019: INEC fixes election dates till 2055

    •Commission: 2019 dates sacrosanct
    •Political parties back electoral agency
    • 108 associations seek registration as parties

    The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) says it has fixed dates for future elections, even up to 2055.

    Its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu broke the news yesterday at the regular quarterly consultative meeting between the management of INEC and the political parties in Abuja.

    The initiative, he said, was meant to ensure stability and certainty in the country’s democratic process as obtained in the developed world like in the United States (U.S.).

    “On this principle, the dates for the 2019 elections as well as future elections are no longer a matter of speculation. In 2019, the dates are 16th February and 2nd March. In 2023, it is 18th February and 4th March; in 2027, 20th February and 6th March; 2031, it is 15th February and 1st March and so on,” the INEC boss explained.

    Yakubu argued that the idea was to “engender certainty in our electoral calendar, allows for long-term planning by the commission as well as stakeholders and brings our democracy in line with the best practice around the world. I am glad that this decision has received the overwhelming support of stakeholders”.

    He added 108 groups have so far applied for registration as political parties, with nine at the final stages of the process.

    On the issue of underage voting, Yakubu vowed that the commission would ensure that ineligible voters were removed from the register.

    He pleaded with the political parties to assist the commission in the process, stressing that they have important role to play.

    “I wish to appeal to political parties to help the commission in further cleaning up the voter’s register. This appeal is all the more pertinent here because in addition to the display of the voter’s register in every polling unit nationwide before the 2011 and 2015 general elections for claims and objections, copies of the register were given to every political party at the time. In addition, the commission also availed each political party that fielded candidates in the five governorship elections conducted since the 2015 general elections a copy of the updated voter’s register for each state. However, as at today no political party has formally drawn the attention of the commission to the prevalence of ineligible persons based on their interrogation of the voter’s register,” the INEC boss said.

    On fresh application for registration as political parties, Yakubu noted that “as at Friday last week, the commission had received 108 applications out of which 66 associations have failed the initial assessment and they have been advised accordingly and none has responded so far. Thirty-three associations have passed the initial assessment and were formally advised to proceed to the next stage while nine associations are at the final stages of the processes. “

    On the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun states governorship polls, Yakubu appealed to political parties to ensure that proactive steps were taken for rancour-free conventions and congresses.

    He noted that “internal party democracy is crucial to our democracy and success of elections. It also helps to eliminate some of the protracted litigations we have seen well beyond the general elections. With less than a year to the 2019 general elections, there are still cases being prosecuted in the regular courts challenging the nomination of candidates for the 2015 general elections.

    “Such cases do not only distract the commission from focusing on the next elections, they also add to avoidable expenditure in lengthy prosecution of cases in various courts. It is important for parties to adhere strictly to the provisions of your respective party constitutions and your internal alternative dispute resolutions and mechanism.”

    Besides, Yakubu warned parties against non-compliance to the constitutional and other legal requirements for their registration.

    He said no party should feel comfortable in breach of especially the responsive criteria for its existence.

    But political parties under the umbrella of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), at the consultative meeting, backed INEC sequence for conduct of the 2019 general elections.

    IPAC said it is a constitutional issue and hence the parties stand by the decision of the electoral body.

  • INEC: 215,000 PVCs yet to be collected in Ekiti

    INEC: 215,000 PVCs yet to be collected in Ekiti

    •Commission to prevent underage voting

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State has expressed concern that over 215,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have not been collected, less than five months to the governorship election.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. AbdulGaniy Raji, broke the news yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, while addressing reporters in his office on preparations for the governorship poll.

    Raji, who spoke through INEC Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Ekiti State, Mr. Taiwo Gbadegesin, expressed worry over apathy among voters to the collection of the PVCs, despite the enlightenment being carried out by the agency.

    The REC said the state government had been partnering traditional rulers, religious organisations, political parties and the media to increase awareness among the electorate.

    He said: “We have done a lot of jingles and we have been working with our outfits in the 16 local government areas for voter education. But despite these efforts, our people seem to be showing apathy.

    “As we speak, we have about 215,000 PVCs with us which are yet to be claimed.

    “We are hopeful that all these will be collected before the election because our aim is to ensure that we have a high turnout during the election, like we witnessed in July 21, 2014.”