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Tag: Inec

  • Forum urges political parties to mobilise voters for future elections

    Political Parties have been called upon to ensure
    adequate mobilisation of their
    supporters and followers to participate
    actively in all future elections.

    The Independent National Electoral
    Commission (INEC) and the mass media
    made the call in a communiqué signed
    at the end of their meeting in Abuja on
    Monday.

    A Director with African Independent
    Television (AIT), Mr Augustine
    Agbonsuremi, signed for the media and
    the INEC National Commissioner for
    Information, Prince Solomon Soyebi,
    signed for INEC.

    The communiqué which was issued at
    the end of the INEC’s quarterly
    meeting with the media noted with
    concern, the low turn out of voters
    particularly during the recent re-run
    and by-elections.

    The meeting also urged eligible
    Nigerians to register during the
    forthcoming nationwide Continuous
    Voter Registration (CVR) slated for
    April.

    It underscored the need for the
    commission to accelerate its
    engagement with the National Assembly
    for the prompt passage of the
    amendments to the Electoral Act 2010
    (as amended).

    According to the meeting, this has
    become necessary to further improve
    the electoral process ahead the 2019
    general elections in the country.

    “We also lauded the Commission’s new
    ICT initiatives intended to broaden the
    scope of elections and data
    management,’’ the communique said.
    It, however, called on the Federal
    Government to take the necessary
    steps toward filling the vacancies in 33
    states of the Federation where the
    tenures of the incumbent Resident
    Electoral Commissioners (RECs) have
    expired.

    The meeting commended the INEC for
    developing a template for fixing dates
    for general elections in Nigeria as it is
    the usual practice in many democratic
    countries.

    It also stressed the need for dates
    earlier announced by the commission

  • Voter registration begins April – INEC

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday said the Continuous Voter Registration would begin across the country in April.

    Yakubu gave the assurance in Abuja at the commission’s quarterly meeting with the media.

    He said during the exercise, efforts would be made to ascertain dead persons on the voter register and eliminate them, adding that cases of transfers of voting points would also be handled.

    He said the commission was approaching the update of the register with all cautiousness because of its sensitivity and importance to the electoral process.

    “Election is essential based on a number of parameters. One of it is quality and credibility of voter register; the voter register is central to election,” the INEC chief said.

    “After the 2015 general elections, we are compelled to see if we can clean up the voter register. For instance, we have to remove the names of the deceased from the register.

    “But this is easier said than done because sometimes you may know that the person is dead but the process of removing the name from the system is not that simple.

    “This is simply because in some cases we receive report that candidates involve in an election were dead only for them to turn up at the commission few days later to say it is a lie that they are alive.”

    He said the commission was also working on modalities that would assist it in the distribution of uncollected 7.8 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) during the voter registration.

    NAN

  • Bayelsa, Kogi elections hold in 2019 – INEC

    Bayelsa, Kogi elections hold in 2019 – INEC

    Governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States will hold before the end of 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

    INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this during the quarterly meeting of the commission with the media in Abuja, Monday.

    Yakubu, who explained that the commission had not released the timetable for 2019 general elections, said what it released were principles of how 2019 elections would be conducted.

    He said: “Believe it or not, the Bayelsa and Kogi elections are coming up at the end of 2019. We are going to have 1,560 constituencies to conduct elections on.

    “INEC has not released the timetable for the elections. The electoral commission requires time to plan, the media also requires time to plan. We reckon that 2019 is going to be a year full of elections for the commission. We are going to have the general election.

    “With our economy in recession, we also need to get our budget properly sorted out so that we can approach the executive and National Assembly for appropriation. We are going to submit a proposal to the National Assembly.

    “In the last general elections, INEC recruited over 700,000 adhoc staff. The requirements for recruiting, training them and providing logistics for forwarding election materials are so enormous and so we have to plan early to sort out these logistics.”

    The INEC chairman also said the commission has conducted 167 elections in one year.

     

     

     

  • INEC queries 202 staff members over election malpractices

    INEC queries 202 staff members over election malpractices

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has issued 202 queries to its staff members in connection with election malpractices.

    Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the commission, made this known while briefing Civil Society Organsiations under the umbrella of Situation Room on INEC’s preparations for 2019 elections Thursday in Abuja.
    According to him, the commission will not tolerate violation of the Electoral Act no matter who is involved.

    “So far, we have issued 202 queries to the staff mentioned in the interim EFCC report covering election in 16 states but we have finished work on 14 of the 16 states; whatever action we need to take will be taken.
    “We will ensure that there is no more violation of the electoral act and we will spare no one who is perpetuating it.”
    He said after what happened in Rivers, the commission had to set up its own administrative inquiry which indicted a number of staff members.

    “Whoever is charged to court for that kind of offence is interdicted, meaning the staff would be suspended and placed on half salary until proven otherwise and that is what we have done.’’
    Yakubu said the staff remained innocent under INEC’s law until proven guilty, adding that the commission had begun to plan immediately for the 2019 elections, with a draft likely to be presented to major stakeholders in a few weeks’ time.
    He said budget wise, INEC was considering breaking the budget over a two year period.
    He said the early preparation would also afford INEC the opportunity to ensure that political parties did the right thing with regards to selection of candidates.
    According to Yakubu, reviewing cases of the 80 elections nullified the last time, INEC’s scrutiny of the judgment led to the discovery that many were due to improper conduct of party primaries beginning from nomination of candidates.
    “Somebody has not gone through the primaries but the name is presented to INEC.

    “The electoral act says any candidate whose name is forwarded to the commission cannot be rejected.’’
    He said there was need to continue to engage with parties.
    He said INEC had conducted 167 elections since the last general elections and a little over 20 per cent did not meet the threshold/

    “So, they were declared inconclusive and yet people who did not understand the antecedent resorted to bashing INEC. (NAN)

  • Why we fixed date for 2019 elections early – INEC

    Why we fixed date for 2019 elections early – INEC

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday said the commission fixed dates for the 2019 general elections early in order to encourage all stakeholders in the political process to prepare ahead of the poll.

    Yakubu said besides the presidential election slated February 16, 2019, INEC will conduct elections throughout the year, including 68 elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The INEC chief spoke at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room organized by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, (PLAC) in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID) on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said by his calculation, there will be one presidential election, 29 governorship polls, 109 senatorial constituencies, 360 federal constituencies and 991 state constituencies

    Yakubu said: “The date engenders certainty in the election calendar. You know when the election will hold. So, it enables you to plan. We are particularly interested in this because 2019 will be a year full of elections. We will have the national election and in addition, the tenure of chairmen and councilors of the six area councils will come to an end. So we will conduct 68 elections in FCT.

    “Also the tenures of the Governors of Kogi and Bayelsa will also come to an end towards end of 2019. So we start the year with election and end it with election. So there are so many elections to hold and there is wisdom in planning well in advance. The nation must move away from the culture of last minute rush. There must be certainty in the calendar of our elections.”

    He said the commission had only fixed a date for the general election but yet to release the calendar and time table.

     

  • Political parties support 2019 elections dates

    Political parties on Tuesday expressed support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for fixing dates ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The parties announced the support to the commission in a communiqué at the end of their meeting with INEC in Abuja.

    INEC had on Thursday announced Feb. 16, 2019 for Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 2, 2019 for Governorship, State Assembly and Federal Capital Territory Area Councils polls.

    It explained that fixing the dates was part of its efforts at standardising and ensuring certainty of timetable for general elections in the country.

    In the communiqué read by Dr Onwubuya Breakforth, National Deputy Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the parties said they believed the initiative would engender certainty in the country’s election calendar.

    They said that dates were within the period stipulated by INEC for the elections.

    “We also welcome the assurance by INEC to commence the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in April, 2017 at local government level.

    “IPAC also pledged to fully support the commission in the registration of new voters and creating further public awareness in the distribution of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    “As a step in this direction, the meeting agreed that uncollected PVCs should be distributed simultaneously with the nationwide CVR,’’ the communiqué said.

    It urged INEC to further deepen the use of technology in elections and work with the National Assembly to remove all legal encumbrances to full deployment of Information and Communication Technology in future polls.
    On the outstanding Anambra Central Senatorial rerun election, the group called on INEC to liaise with concerned political parties to resolve ongoing litigation to pave way for the conduct of the election.

    “In view of the recent Supreme Court judgment on the election, it was agreed that INEC shall work with the political parties that have cases in the lower court to find amicable ways to resolve out of court.
    “This is to enable the commission conduct the outstanding election in the senatorial district.

    “INEC shall engage with the parties involved based on this principle,’’ it said.

    The communiqué said that all political parties in the meeting renewed their commitments to internal democracy while affirming commitment to non-violence in elections.

    It commended INEC’s effort to prosecute electoral offenders and acknowledged that appropriate sanction was the most effective panacea to electoral violence.

    “It was also resolved that this should be expanded to include all violators of the Electoral Act, no matter how highly placed.’’

    Representing INEC, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Oluwole Osase-Uzzi, said that the commission had accepted to explore out-of-court solution to the Anambra legislative election.

    “INEC is prepared to conduct the election as soon as all legal impediments are removed,’’ Osase-Uzzi added.
    On what would happened about the announced dates for the 2019 general elections if ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act was concluded before the election, he said the commission was working with extant laws.

    “We are working with an extant law and the time for election is fixed by the Constitution.

    “So, if the Constitution is amended before 2019 or on that day and it necessitates the change, then, we will comply with whatever extant law that is available before the election.

    “But, if it is not amended before then, we go with the dates as they stand now. INEC is bound to go with whatever the law states,’’ Osase-Uzzi said

  • Senator hails INEC over 2019 election timetable

    Senator hails INEC over 2019 election timetable

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Wednesday commended the electoral umpire for starting ahead of time to prepare for the 2019 general elections in the country.

    Ndume told reporters in Abuja that he was fully in support of the election time table as released by INEC.

    The time table showed that National Assembly and Presidential elections would hold on February 16, 2019.

    Ndume said, “By the normal time table, elections are held in the first quarter, so I think that INEC is doing the right thing by setting out a target for elections so that they can be well prepared ahead. I don’t know what the anxiety is about but I know that is the Nigerian attitude. If you do something early, they say it is too early; if you do it late, they say it is late. I don’t know, but saying that elections are going to hold in the first quarter is not a big deal.

    “I want to actually commend INEC for starting ahead of time and I will support it fully. We had election that was widely acceptable in the country and we are hoping that we are going to have a credible election in 2019 and I am glad to be part of it. If nothing is done about the 2019 election, definitely the election will be haphazard.”

    The Borno South lawmaker noted that when he took over as the chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, he encouraged INEC to start preparing for the 2019.

    ‘When I looked at the budget of the INEC, I discovered that there was no provision for the 2019 election. I advised them to make provision for the 2019 election so that such items that are not sensitive and not perishable can be procured in time. It is not good for us to wait until a day or two to the election then we start running helter-skelter for the materials such as the data capture machine or other thing that should be in place,” he said.

    He noted that whether there were resident electoral commissioners in the states or not is not the work of INEC.

    According to him, resident electoral commissioners are not the people that conduct election “but “it is INEC that conducts election.”

    He added, “Let me say this’ you journalists are contributing majorly to the problems that Nigeria has because you try to create problem or anxiety where there is none. Nigerians are not questioning why INEC released the time table but you people for whatever reason are questioning it. I don’t think that what INEC did is wrong; it is right, it is a welcome development, it should be encouraged and people should commend them for doing that.”

    He said that INEC was already preparing a budget estimate of what it will cost to procure materials for the 2019 elections.

    “In fact, that is what delayed our budget presentation to the Appropriations Committee. The Committee agreed that INEC should bring estimate of their expenditure for 2019 election so that it will be provided.

    “For instance, if it is provided in 2017, it will be set aside to procure non-sensitive and non-perishable items that they will use. Then in 2018, the balance provision for 2019 will be made available.

    “Once this money is made available, INEC will access it through the CBN because by the time 2019 election will be conducted, budget may be before the National Assembly for consideration. So, where do you get the money to do it if you don’t make the provision and preparation right now?” he asked.

    Ndume said that he believed that INEC wanted to improve on what had been done before “and all encouragement and support should be given to them. So, let’s give them a chance.”

    He noted that if the Electoral Act is passed, it will also help to improve the conduct of the elections of 2019.

    He said, “Most importantly, I know that the President and this government is determined to conduct a credible election because it is the government that has been shouting that the election was not credible and truly elections were not credible except the last one that met minimum acceptability. And since this government is determined to conduct election and not selection or allocation as has been previously done, then we hope that we will have a credible election.

    “For the Senate, we only have two clauses left to conclude the amendment of the Electoral Act. We have gone very far. In fact, I can say that I am the one that slowed the committee down because we have to do it together with the House and the executive has formed a Committee under the chairmanship of Nnamani, so let us work together in order to come up with generally acceptable reform that take care of some of the loopholes.

    “This government cannot afford to put in place anything that is less than what we had. We have a standard election that was conducted; we only need to improve on it.

     

  • Alleged bribery: Court postpones arraignment of 23 INEC staff

    The planned arraignment on Tuesday of 23 staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) charged with bribery and corruption has been put off.

    The INEC officials are to be arraigned in a seven-count charge of bribery and corruption.

    They were accused of receiving N360m bribe from Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to rig the December 10, 2016 rerun legislative elections in the state.

    The arraignment has been postponed to April 7 following the objection raised by the INEC officials against their trial in Abuja.

    The INEC officials standing trial are – Shittu Mohammed Lamido (Shettima), Henry Owokure, Peter Ewetade, Mrs. Mary Jummai Tunkoyo Pennap, Gwatana Jibril, Ivase Stephen and Abdullahi Ogabo.

    Others are – Gayus Hassan, Hussaini T. Yahaya, James Ogwuche, Karimu F. Aminu,  Adedokun Najeem Ayotunde, Balogun Funmilayo and Adams O. Kadiri,

    Also named in the charges are – Akinwande R. Adesoji, Lukeman Olabimpe, Tiamiyu R. Arowolo, Akinwoye Amodu, Nwoha Yusuf, Patrick Anuke, Iro Abali, Nwosu G. Oluchi and Arukwe Chinelo.

    The officials, who have all been on the bail granted them by the police, were brought to the Federal High Court, Abuja, at about 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday in vehicles provided by the police.

    When the case was called, prosecution lawyer, Aminu Alilu, informed the court about the pending seven-count charge, which the state has filed against the defendants.

    He sought the court’s permission to have the case read to the defendants.

    But, lawyers to the defendants led by Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that the INEC officials have filed applications challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the court.

  • 2019 poll: Why INEC released timetable early –Lecky, Soyebi

    2019 poll: Why INEC released timetable early –Lecky, Soyebi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for 2019 general elections early to enable it plan well  and set a new template in line with international best practices, officials said yesterday.

    Two National Commissioners, Dr. Mustafa Lecky (South-South) and Solomon Soyebi told The Nation in separate interviews in Abuja that the timetable will not disrupt or slow down governance.

    INEC released the timetable for the 2019 general elections on Thursday with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, February 16, 2019 followed by the Governorship/State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections on Saturday March 2.

    The early release of the time table sparked immediate response especially from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Former acting National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus said the INEC action was the first indication that it had commenced  the rigging process for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said Nigerians needed no further proof to establish that the electoral body has been designed to do the ruling APC bidding all the way.

    He claimed that the commission as INEC is currently composed, lacks the wherewithal to conduct an unbiased election, and demanded the dissolution of the organization.

    However, INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Lecky said given the delay in releasing budgetary allocations to INEC, it was necessary for the commission to work ahead.

    He said: “The point is that if you look at the requirements for elections, the financial outlay is much. Our budget cycle is not normalized, we need to really prepare ahead.

    “We are yet to get any allocation from 2017 budget. Clearly, we are not going to have a budget for that election because we are conducting it in February 2019. We will not have a budget.

    “We have only next year to prepare for the poll. So, we should be partly looking at supplementary budget and 2018 budget to conduct the poll. We cannot be talking of the preparation for the poll without having a date in view.

    “We are already costing how much is required to conduct the elections. We shall soon be going to the National Assembly with the budget.

    Asked if political officers would not be distracted by the new timetable, he said: “INEC has nothing to do with distraction of governance. Instead, the timetable will enhance good governance and delivery of dividends of democracy.

    “Elected public officers should know the day of accountability is near, the day of judgment is now known.

    “We need to be taking steps to be maturing the electoral process. It is good for every stakeholder to prepare.”

    On his part, the National Commissioner (in charge of South West), Solomon Soyebi, said the release of the timeline was to set a template in line with international best practices.

    He said: “It is just an example of what we want the election year to look like; is just like a standard practice as the case in the United States, Ghana, Switzerland, Mexico and others.

    “We have decided to fix the date for the National Elections for the third Saturday in February of the election year, followed by State elections two weeks later.

    “It is not about this year, it is about all future elections in Nigeria. The same template will apply to 2023, 2027, 2031 and subsequent elections. It is a principle to hold the elections around 100 days to the end of term.

    On the effect of the timetable on governance, Soyebi also added: “There is no politician that does not know his or her terminal days, it is a template we are institutionalizing.”

  • REC vacancies in 33 states can’t delay 2019 elections, says INEC

    REC vacancies in 33 states can’t delay 2019 elections, says INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is short of 33 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). However, that will not hamper preparation for the 2019 elections, the Commission has said.

    The INEC on Thursday announced that the 2019 elections will kick off on Saturday, February 19 with the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    The governorship/state assembly/FCT Area council polls will follow on Saturday, March 2.

    INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of South West, Solomon Soyebi told The Nation in Abuja that constitutional imperatives embodied in the Electoral Act make it compulsory for INEC to undertake certain activities within some specified period.

    On September 27, last year, the Senate had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to nominate qualified persons to fill in the vacant positions in INEC stressing that  vacancies in 20 states at that time had contributed to the spate of inconclusive elections and a decline in the electoral system.

    It noted “with deep concern that at least 20 states of the federation have no Resident Electoral Commissioners contrary to Section 14 ( 2 ) of Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution (as amended).”

    The figure has since risen to 33.

    The Senate further said that INEC “cannot function optimally without the full complement of members that will superintend the activities of other personnel.”

    However, Soyebi said INEC’s decision to begin arrangements for the 2019 elections is realistic.

    “It is definitely realistic; the elections are to take place about two years from now.

    “I am sure they’ll be appointed before then; so, what we are doing in advance is merely to ensure early preparation for the 2019 general elections.

    “You should also note that we have to operate in accordance with constitutional guidelines; under our laws, the election must take place not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to the end of the incumbent’s tenure.

    “As I stated earlier, in order to ensure certainty in our dates for elections, and to allow for proper planning by the Commission, political parties, security agencies, candidates and all stakeholders, the Commission decided to fix the date for the National Elections for the third Saturday in February of the election year, followed by State elections two weeks later.

    “Thus, the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, 16th February 2019, while the Governorship/State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections will hold on Saturday 2nd March 2019,” he stated.

    Under Section 153 of the 1999 constitution as amended, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution , which establishes  INEC; and Section 14 ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) of the Third Schedule, which establishes the office of the National Chairman of INEC , the 12 National Commissioners and  the RECs , the president is empowered  to appoint the RECs subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

    The last holders of the positions in Kaduna , Enugu, Benue, Ogun, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Plateau, Jigawa, Taraba, Imo, Ondo,  Nasarawa, Ekiti, Edo, Borno and Kwara states as well as the FCT retired.

    On July 25, the tenure of three RECs – Aniedi Ikoiwak (Rivers State), Baritor Kpagig (Delta) and Habu Hinna (Taraba) will lapse while that of Abdullahi Kaugama (Kaduna) will end in 2020.