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Tag: Inec

  • Recall: Melaye knows fate September 11

    Recall: Melaye knows fate September 11

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed September 11 for judgment in the suit filed by Senator Dino Melaye, challenging his planned recall by voters in his constituency.

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba fixed the date after listening to arguments from all parties involved in the suit.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had commenced the process to recall Melaye, but the senator wants the court to stop the process.

    One of the grounds upon which Melaye, who represents Kogi West in the Senate challenged his recall, was that the signatures of some of the voters in the petition were fictitious.

    Melaye, who argued his case through his counsel, Mr. Nkem Okoro, said majority of the signatures on the petition were dead people.

    He added that death certificates were attached to the processes he filed as exhibits to ascertain the veracity of his claim that some of the signatories were deceased.

    He also alleged that he was denied fair hearing by both his constituents and INEC.

    He said: “The petitioners ought to have informed Melaye of the facts and circumstances upon which the alleged loss of confidence was based prior to submission of the petition to INEC.

    “INEC upon receipt of the said petition only served Melaye a mere notice that it had received a petition for his recall. So we are challenging INEC’s action.

    “They should have shown a copy of the petition to Melaye and failure to do so amounts to denial of fair hearing and a violation of the laws of natural justice.”

    NAN

  • INEC closes voter registration Aug.15 – Anambra Rec.

    INEC closes voter registration Aug.15 – Anambra Rec.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, on Thursday said the ongoing continuous voter registration would end on Aug. 15 in the state.

    Orji disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka.

    He said that the exercise was conducted at the local government level and all the 326 electoral wards across the state,  to enable eligible voters register before the closing date.

    The REC who put the total registered voters in the state at 2.42 million, expressed the hope that more people would be captured.

    Orji assured that the commission had deployed all necessary facilities for the voter registration.

    According to him, people should use the opportunity to transfer their registration centres, collect their permanent voter cards and have their lost cards replaced.

    On the forthcoming governorship election, the REC said the commission would deliver transparent, free, fair, and credible election.

    Orji therefore encouraged the electorates to ignore reports making the round that election would not hold, stressing that INEC was fully prepared for the polls.

    “Come out en-masse to perform your civic duty and have a voice in your governance,” he urged registered voters in the state.

  • INEC to punish erring officials in Cross River

    INEC to punish erring officials in Cross River

    The new Resident Electoral Commissioner in Cross River, Dr. Briyai Frankland, said on Wednesday the Commission would deal decisively with any of staff who connives with politicians to manipulate election results in the state.

    Frankland stated this at his maiden interactive session with journalists in Calabar, the state capital.

    “I have observed that there is wrong public perception about electoral officials conniving with some politicians to manipulate results of elections in the state.

    “I have warned all members of staff, especially at the local government levels to change their attitude to work as the state INEC under my watch will do everything to uphold the sanctity of elections in this state.

    “I will not tolerate any laxity on the part of my staff and anyone found culpable will be punished accordingly,” he said.

    Franklnad said he has integrity to protect, adding that he was not in the state to dance to anybody’s tune but to discharge his duties diligently.

    He advised all registered political parties in the state to work hard to win elections rather than waiting to manipulate the process.

    “I am not here for anybody. My advice to political parties is that they should work hard, and I promise that anyone who works hard will always win elections,” the new REC added.

    NAN

  • Court to hear suits on Melaye’s recall Friday

    Court to hear suits on Melaye’s recall Friday

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday for the hearing of two suits seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from proceeding with the process of recalling Senator Dino Melaye from the upper legislative chamber.

    The first suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/567/2017, was filed by Melaye, while the second, marked: FHC/ABJ/601/2017, was filed by the Kogi State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and 12 others.

    The other plaintiffs in the second suit are – Alhaji ‎Haddy Ametuo, Hon. Shaibu Osune, S.T Adejo, Comrade Yahaya Ade Ismail, Chief Gbenga Ashagun, Ahovi S. Ibrahim, Ghali ND Usman, Isa Abubakar, I. Molemodile, Abubakr M. Adamu and Daniel Sekpe.

    The vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, fixed Friday for hearing after granting an application by Olatunji Atoyebi (for the plaintiffs in the second suit) for the consolidation of his client’s case, pending before another judge of the court, with the one by Melaye (which is already slated for hearing during the court’s vacation).

    The judge said the consolidation was necessary to prevent the rendering of conflicting judgments by two judges of the court, since the cases were on  same issue.

    Earlier in the proceeding, the judge granted two applications, admitting new parties to the suit. The first application was filed by three individuals, who said they coordinated the petition for Melaye’s recall – Chief Cornelius Olowo, John Anjorin and Malam Yusuf Adamu.

    They were joined as defendants in the suit by Melaye.

    The second application was filed by five persons – Afolabi Lydia Olufunke, Mrs. Iyabose Owolabi, Sanya Grace Folake, Salihu Abubakar Abdullahi and Micheal Olowolaiyemo, who identified themselves as registered voters from Kogi West.

    They were joined as co-plaintiffs in the suit by Melaye.

     

  • INEC plans technology joker for 2019 polls

    INEC plans technology joker for 2019 polls

    •103 groups seek registration as parties

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans technology joker for the 2019 elections, its chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, revealed yesterday.

    He said the plan would be kept in wraps for now to prevent politicians from sabotaging it.

    Prof. Yakubu, who spoke at the Second Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) Annual Conference 2017 on Internal Party Democracy, announced that 103 political associations are seeking registration as political parties.

    He said INEC would not hesitate to deregister any of the existing 45 political parties that fails to meet the provisions of the law.

    “We will continue to deepen the deployment of technology in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. I will not, however, disclose to the general public what we are going to do in the run up to the 2019 general elections because I guess that there are people listening to me so that they don’t find a way round what INEC is doing.

    “Election is the only thing I know should be transparent because every process is supposed to be open and transparent but the outcome is uncertain because the outcome is in the hands of the voters. I want to once again reassure Nigerians that the commission will continue to approach the responsibility with courage and will never fail. Whoever wins at the ballot box becomes the person so elected. Parties are critical to democracy and our law is very clear that no one will contest election in Nigeria unless sponsored by a political party. We don’t have independent candidate yet.

    “We have 45 registered political parties and as at last week, 103rd application was received from political associations seeking registration and I am sure that more would have been received.

    “When we presented certificates to the newly registered political parties, that were parties qualified to be deregistered under the law, we shall also courageously deregister political parties since the provisions of the law is very clear in that respect,” he warned.

     

  • INEC plans technology joker for 2019

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans technology joker for the 2019 electiosn, its chairman Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu said yesterday.

    He said the plan would be kept secret for now to prevent politicians from sabotaging it.

    Prof. Yakubu, who spoke at the Second Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) Annual Conference 2017 on Internal Party Democracy, announced that 103 political associations are seeking registration as political parties.

    He also said INEC would not hesitate to deregister any of the existing 45 political parties that failed to meet the provisions of the law.

    “We will continue to deepen the deployment of technology in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. I will not however disclose to the general public what we are going to do in the run up to the 2019 general elections because I guess that there are people listening to me so that they don’t find a way round what INEC is doing.

    “Election is the only thing I know should be transparent because every process is supposed to be open and transparent but the outcome is uncertain because the outcome is in the hands of the voters. I want to once again reassure Nigerians that we will continue to uphold.

    “The commission will continue to approach the responsibility with courage and will never fail. Whoever wins at the ballot box becomes the person so elected. Parties are critical to democracy and our law is very clear that no one will contest election in Nigeria unless sponsored by a political party. We don’t have independent candidate yet.

    “We have 45 registered political parties and as at last week, 103rd application was received from political associations seeking registration and I am sure that more would have been received.

    “We will continue to be guided by the provisions of the law and any qualified association must be so registered. When we presented certificates to the newly registered political parties, that where parties qualified to be deregistered under the law, we shall also courageously deregister political parties since the provisions of the law is very clear in that respect,” he warned.

     

     

  • Fasehun: ‘INEC played me out in 2015’

    Fasehun: ‘INEC played me out in 2015’

    The factional leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Dr Fredrick Fasehun, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission meddled in the crisis that engulfed the party towards the 2015 general elections.

    Fasehun said he was played out by INEC when it took side with the splinter group that lacked moral and legal authority to claim ownership of the party. He said the UPN certificate is still in his possession.

    The founder of Odu’a Peoples’ Congress (OPC), who spoke at a media roundtable parley in Lagos, said: “I am the authentic leader of UPN, the party’s registered certificate is with me and majority of the national officers including the national secretary of the party are with me.”

    On the threat of disintegration, Fasehun said: Nigeria will remain an indivisible entity. Nigeria will not crumble; nobody will succeed in breaking Nigeria; Nigerians are too interwoven; it is too late for anybody to be talking of disintegration, he stated.”

    Fasehun supported the call for the restructuring of the polity to promote equity among the various groups in the country. He observed that the power sharing between the federal and state government is lopsided and called for devolution of powers to the state and local governments because they are close to the people.

    Fasehun said the National Assembly has lost focus and abdicated its responsibility by failing to do the needful over the absence of the President. He said it is only in Nigeria that a president will leave the country for medical treatment abroad for three months without the National Assembly invoking the relevant section of the constitution on the ailing President.

    The OPC leader urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to streamline the exchange rate. He said the existence of different exchange rates will confuse foreign investors who may want to come and invest in Nigeria.

     

  • Court grants INEC’s request for prompt hearing of Melaye’s suit

    Court grants INEC’s request for prompt hearing of Melaye’s suit

    A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday granted the request by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for accelerated hearing of a suit filed by Senator Dino Melaye, challenging the move to recall him from the upper legislative chamber.

    Justice John Tsoho (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja) on July 6 ruled on an ex-parte application filed by Melaye, rejecting his request for interim restraining order, but ordered parties to maintain status quo and adjourned till September 29 for hearing of Melaye’s motion for interlocutory injunction and applications by parties seeking to be joined.

    INEC consequently filed three separate documents on July 14, including a summons for accelerated hearing of Melaye’s suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/567/2017, motion on notice for an order setting aside the order made on June 6 and defendant’s counter-affidavit against plaintiff’s originating summons filed on June 23, 2017.

    INEC said the order made in its absence on July 6, by Justice Tsoho, has served the sole purpose of preventing it from performing its constitutional responsibilities provided Under Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution and the 90 days allocated for the conclusion of a recall process.

    The electoral body said it planned to make public on August 19, its report of the verification of list of voters, who signed the petition against Melaye.

    The vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, on Thursday granted INEC’s application for hearing of the suit and hearing of the case during vacation as against the September 29 earlier chosen by Justice Tsoho.

    Although INEC’s lawyer, Sulaymen Ibrahim, had indicated his intention to object to application by two sets of people seeking to be made parties in the case, he later withdrew his objection when the judge said he was willing to allow any interested party to join the suit and would hear the substantive suit promptly.

    The first application for joinder was filed by one Michael Olowolayemo, who applied to be joined as a co-plaintiff, while the second application was filed by three persons – Chief Olowo Cornelius, John Anjorin and Mallam Yusuf Adamu – who sought to be joined as co-defendants.

    In the course of proceedings, Ibrahim and lawyer to those seeking to be made co-defendants, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, questioned Olowolayemo’s motive.

    They said his application and Melaye’s objection to it were merely designed to delay hearing of the main suit.

     

  • Constitution reform: Senate removes President’s power

    Constitution reform: Senate removes President’s power

    Senators have passed 29 of the 33 items slated f an r amendment to the 1999 Constitution.

    The lawmakers unanimously voted to strip the President of powers to assent to amendments made to the constitution, thereby giving the legislature sweeping powers to alter the constitution.

    They voted 92 against four to pass the amendment seeking to whittle down the power of the President to veto amendments to the constitution.

    The lawmakers also unanimously passed the amendment seeking to include past Presidents of the Senate and former House of Representatives Speakers as members of the Council of State.

    Also passed was parliamentary immunity to lawmakers in the federal and state legislatures against prosecution over words spoken or written during debates or at committee assignments.

    They also passed an amendment to compel the President to attend a joint session of the National Assembly once a year to deliver a State of the Nation address.

    The length of time given to the President to spend funds from the consolidated revenue in the absence of appropriation was reduced from six to three months.

    Henceforth, the President must lay the nation’s budget proposal before the National Assembly within 90 days before the end of a fiscal year. Governors are to lay their states’ within the same time frame at the state assemblies.

    Local governments have been freed from the grip of state governments, with the scrapping of the Joint State/Local Government Accounts. The local governments are to get their allocations directly from the federation account and other sources.

    State assemblies are to get financial autonomy. They are also to enjoy a right to funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the states. The amendment had been rejected by state assemblies during previous constitution amendments that collapsed.

    Names of appointees of the President and governors for cabinet offices are to be submitted to the Federal and State parliaments within 30 days of taking the oath of office by the President or governors.

    Portfolios to be assigned to each appointee will also be indicated in the nomination letters forwarded to the Senate or the state assemblies as the case may be.

    The Senate approved also a provision for independent candidates at all levels of election, as a way of expanding the political space beyond conventional parties.

    The lawmakers voted in favour of the separation of the office of the Accountant General of the Federal Government from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

    Similarly, the office of the Auditor-General for the federation and state Auditors General are to be on first line charges in the consolidated revenue funds of the federation and the states.

    The Senate voted in favour of separating the office of the Minister of Justice and commissioners of Justice from that of the Attorney-General of the Federation and that of the State.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered to delist non-performing registered political parties.

    The amendment affects any political party that fails to win any seat at the federal, state or local government level

    Another aspect in the amendment seeks to restrict a person who was sworn in as President or governor to complete the term of an incumbent from contesting for the same office for more than one term.

    The Senate also passed the bill on the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, which seeks to reflect the establishment and core functions of corps.

    The amendment sought includes national security and civil defence as an item in the exclusive legislative list under the second schedule of the constitution.

    Also passed was the bill on procedure for overriding presidential veto in constitutional alteration. It seeks to provide a procedure for passing a constitution alteration bill in the absence of the President.

    Going by the bill, every amendment approved by the National Assembly with corollary support from the state legislators will automatically become law, even without the assent of the President.

    The Bill seeking to set time lines for determination of election disputes also scaled through as Senators Voted 97 in support.

    Another amendment proposed on age qualification by altering Section 65, 106, 131, and 177 of the constitution, affected the age limits for president, governors, senators, Reps and state assembly members.

    For the House of Representatives and state assemblies, the age limit was pegged at 25; Senate, 35; president, 35; and governors, 35.

    The NYSC Scheme was deleted from the Constitution through a Bill to that effect. This is to enable the lawmakers subject the Scheme to regular process of amendment.

    The Public Complaints Commission Act also got the same treatment.

    The Senate also overwhelmingly voted to delete the National Securities Act from the constitution for the Act to undergo regular process of amendment.

  • INEC fixes Aug 19 for Gombe Assembly bye-election

    The bye-election for Dukku North Constituency in Gombe State House of Assembly has been fixed for August 19, 2017, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed.

    The bye-election is occasioned by the demise of the elected member representing the constituency, the late Gambo Ahmed Kabade, who passed on in June this year.

    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Usman Ibrahim announced the bye-election date in Gombe on Friday, pledging INEC’s commitment to conducting a free, fair and credible bye-election.

    To this end, Ibrahim assured political parties participating in the exercise of a level playing-field, urging the parties to cooperate with the commission.

    The commission’s Acting Administrative Secretary, Mr. Zakari Musa, explained that the delay in commencing the exercise was because the clerk of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated Gombe State House of Assembly did not inform them in good time of the death of the member who was elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.

    “Though we got notice of the demise of the lawmaker from a political party, we couldn’t act based on that, as there are specific constitutional provisions guiding the conduct of bye-elections,” Musa explained.

    The commission had initially proposed August 12 for the election but jointly agreed with stakeholders to shift it to August 19, following outcries of short notice from smaller political parties.

    Participating political parties are expected to conduct primary elections between July 24 and 27, while lists of nominated candidates should reach INEC on or before August 4, and those of party agents, before August 11, the commission’s acting AS said.